Insanity's Ending
by wingchumonZERO
Summary: Naruto is exposed to the Kyuubi at a young age, causing him to go insane. However, having an insane side with the skills of a Jounin might not be so bad after all.
1. Prologue: Emprisonnement

_Disclaimer I do not own Naruto. I am not making any money of this and will not try to._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Prologue:** **emprisonnement**

The large metallic door swung open as the man walked into the room, flanked by two masked people, a man and a woman.. He had been here often, indeed, he had been the one who sanctioned its construction. It still made him shiver.

The walls were, or had been white, now covered with strange symbols and long lines of text, too small to decipher and too complicated to understand anyway. They flowed into the center of the room, where, on a sparsely furnished area of barely two meters, lay a young boy of no more than seven.

" Naruto-kun."

The boy's head jerked, but his face did not rise. The older man frowned, intending to repeat his greeting. Suddenly, however, the boy lifted his head, revealing a sinister grin.

" Yeeeeees?"

The older man winced at the deliberate sweetness used in the young boys tone. It was only after a moment that he began speaking anew.

"I have…I have convinced the council to…allow you entry into the shinobi academy. You…you'll be trained in the ways of-"

The young boy cut him off.

"And why should I go THERE? I know all there is to know…all there is to know about being a…a…a…a killer, I'm the…the all powerful Nine-tailed demon fox! I killed your foolish leader, the blondie!"

The young boy then began laughing. This caused the older man's entourage to bristle at the disrespect shown by this boy towards their former leader, and, for that matter, to their current one.

The older man frowned. He began speaking again, through the boy's unceasing laughter.

"You'd be able to make…friends! Associate with people your own age! You…You'd be able to get out of this place!

This stopped the boy's laughing. He stared at the older man, squinting with one eye almost popping the other out of its socket.

"What's…hehe…what's the catch?"

The old man grinned at his breakthrough.

"You'll have to behave himself, you'll have to…Not kill anyone…and…Not cause too much property damage. And…"

The boy's ears were perked up, though his face was unreadable. Taking this as a good sign, the older man continued.

"And you'll have to take your…medication…"

There was a deadly silence in the room. The older man began to perspire, fearing that his attempt at negotiation had failed, and that the legacy left behind by one of his closest friends was doomed to rot and die in a white, sealed room.

"Medication? You mean the stuff that makes me all nice and quiet and docile and happy?"

The boy seemed to ponder his situation for a moment. That was before he began laughing again, louder this time, and with a malevolent undertone to it.

"Alright. "

The older man let out a sigh.

---

Prologue intentionally short. Please leave remarks about what couples would be appropriate for an insane Naruto.

Don't know when the next chapter'll be up. Soon, I'd think.

Title is in French, means imprisonment.


	2. Chapter One:Silencieux

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and am not earning a cent off this Fanfiction._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter 1: silencieux**

Umino Iruka sighed as he entered the doorway into what he began to think was a torture chamber. Every day he was forced to contend with these kids, and, with every new day, came many new problems. What would it be today, he wondered.

"Quiet down, class."

Iruka sighed, as he shambled into the center of the classroom, head beginning to ache as a result of the continuing noise. Apparently, Ino and Sakura were fighting over Sasuke again. Big surprise.

He did not like to shout, as one might think, seeing as he shouted at the class every single day…But Umino Iruka did not like shouting. He was a victim of circumstances. It wasn't his fault his students enjoyed being screamed at. That they misbehaved at every turn, attempting to outdo each other every time.

"SHUT UP, YOU FLAMING BRATS."

That worked.

Iruka cleared his throat as he began. But teachers get bored too, a fact not known to the students. Repeating your lessons to younger versions of you isn't fun. And the only kick they get out of it is the wonderful paychecks…Not so wonderful paychecks that they get at months end.

And so, Irukas thoughts wandered. He began taking note of, people, who, as he had observed, been causing trouble, and the ones who were not.

"Sakura, noisy…Ino, noisy…Sasuke, quiet, but cause of noise…Shikamaru, eternally sleepy…Chouji, eating in class…Kiba, noisy…Shino, quiet…Hinata, quiet…Naruto…"

He stopped there.

Uzumaki Naruto. The single quietest student in class. Where Shino would say something once, say, a week…Naruto had never said a thing. Iruka, in all his three years teaching him, had never ever heard his voice. That was, of course, because he was never called on to answer questions. Something which made Iruka rather guilty…And yet, Naruto had always bested the written tests. He was, in a word, somewhat of a genius.

Unfortunately, Naruto was horrible at hand-seals and chakra control. He did have magnificent chakra reserves, though. A simple bunshin would explode, because of the excess chakra pumped into it. A bunshin. Not a kage bunshin. A simple academy level bunshin. He also had a strange habit of popping pills at the strangest moments. At first, Iruka thought they were sweets, but noticed that Naruto just swallowed them. Then he imagined they were soldier pills, an explanation for his excessive chakra. But there was no chakra spike.

Finally, however, he imagined they were narcotics, and went to question the third about them, after all, it was he who placed Naruto in the academy. He was bound to know something about the pills. The Third had just smiled and told him to leave Naruto be.

And so he did.

He was happier not having to deal with the Kyuubi, he supposed. But still…He couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the poor boy. And so…

"Naruto."

The blonde haired boy's eyes widened at the sound of his name, and the attention he was garnering from the rest of the class. Iruka continued.

"How would you explain the concept of chakra?"

Naruto paused for a while, before beginning to answer. After swallowing one of his pills, he stood up, his white shirt and black pants rustling.He began speaking in a wavering voice, shaky and rough. A voice that had obviously seen little use.

"Chakra…Chakra is the…the essence of every living thing…It is similar, if not identical in usage to energy…And is used for…for…Jutsus. Chakra…is gained when…we partake in training…or other rigorous activities…Chakra also seems…seems to replenish itself as we…rest…"

Naruto stopped there, and his face distorted, with his lips turning up, and forming a homicidal grin, which subsided, and Narutos face was, once again his own, for a brief moment, as he swallowed another of his pills. After a moment, he regained his composure.

"Chakra can be used for other things…when chakra is channeled into a certain part of one's body…that part of the body gains near superhuman strength…or speed…thanks to the infusion to its innate chakra coils. Chakra can also be…used…as a solid, if control is high enough…chakra can be used to heal, if infused with a good scope of the injuries. If chakra is…used to…used to…uh…infuse plants, their growth complex…will be enhanced…and…they will grow…faster…Chakra has many other uses…including-"

Iruka stopped him there, eyes wide at the amount of information that had been displayed. Silence swept over the class, as Naruto sat down, immediately ingesting another of his pills. A student raised his hand.

"What are chakra coils?"

After class, Iruka announced the Genin exam to the students. He explained the format of said exam, reading from a sheet of paper.

"The test would usually be split into three different parts, the written, the physical and the technique oriented."

The class listened intently as Iruka continued.

"However, it has been noted that this year, the class has had extremely high written test scores, on average" thanks to Naruto, he silently added. "And the written exam will be screened out to save time and costs."

Some students looked proud, no doubt imagining themselves intelligent, while others simply pumped their arms. Meanwhile, Narutos face fell, and he began to frown.

"The physical tests will also be screened out, because of accidents that occurred last year. Some of you may have heard of it, about Hyuuga Nejis usage of the Jyuuken fighting style to gain a seemingly unfair advantage."

Hinata flinched.

"That leaves the jutsu test. Don't worry, people, we won't be asking you to perform any high level jutsu, just random academy level jutsu. Replacement, Bunshin…"

As class was dismissed, many of the students had wanted to question Naruto of his knowledge, especially Sakura, the 'second best'. Unfortunately, Naruto had just ambled out the door, too caught up in his own thoughts to answer anything, let alone complicated queries.

The next day approached fast, as every student prepared for their big exam. There was an uncomfortable silence, as the students took their seats in a row, while Iruka and Mizuki sat behind tables at the front of the class. The first name was called, and the test began.

It was not long after that Naruto found himself at the top of the waiting list. He fidgeted, making nervous gestures. He had terrible chakra control, and he couldn't create a decent bunshin if his life depended on it. And the Third had been counting on him so much, too…

"Uzumaki Naruto"

Narutos head jerked, and he rose from his seat, but not before swallowing a few pills from his pocket.

Irukas eyes followed Naruto as he walked into the room and stayed on Naruto as Mizuki cleared his throat and began his explanation.

"Candidates, that's you, Naruto, must perform a grand total of three jutsu. The first must be a jutsu from their own knowledge, meaning one that we didn't teach you. The second must be a display of the henge technique, in which transformation into one of the instructors must be performed. The third and final test would be the usage of the bunshin technique. Three perfect clones must be created and held for more than ten seconds. You have a time limit of ten minutes to perform all three tasks that will begin as soon as your personal technique is performed, successful or not."

Naruto nodded, and seemed to put himself in deep meditation for a moment, immediately throwing a kunai into a wall five meters away and shouting "Hiraishin no jutsu!", in a moment, he was at the kunai.

Iruka and Mizuki were visibly stunned. How could this boy perform such an advanced jutsu? He wasn't even a genin yet!

Naruto, satisfied at his demonstration, continued his performance. "henge!", he shouted, as he transformed into a perfect copy of Iruka. A second shout transformed him into a copy of Mizuki.

Both instructors nodded, still shocked from the Hiraishin.

Naruto then paused for a moment. "Bunshin no jutsu", he cried, as three perfect copies appeared behind him…only to explode a moment later in a fantastic display of blue fireworks.

Silence reigned over the room for what seemed an eternity, as the smoke cleared. Iruka then spoke.

"Naruto…you fail."

Narutos face distorted in sadness and Mizuki spoke up.

"Iruka, he managed the Henge, and the jutsu he showed was terrific! We can't just-"

Iruka interrupted.

"No, Mizuki. Rules are rules. I'm truly sorry, Naruto."

Naruto just nodded, walking out, and swallowing a pill. Iruka felt horrible.

Naruto sat on his favorite swing, going back and forth, as he saw his fellow students walk out of the academy, meeting their parents. He was so absorbed in the scene that he was surprised when Mizuki walked up behind him and ruffled his hair.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. Nothing I can do. I tried to convince Iruka…but…"

Naruto simply waved it off. Mizuki smiled, and continued.

"Hey, Naruto. There may be a way I can help you. There's an alternate promotion path, you know… Don't tell anyone, yeah…"

Naruto turned to face Mizuki, and Mizukis smile grew wider.

Naruto crept through the door, wondering why there had been such an abundance of wards in the Hokage tower. He didn't think too much on it, though. His task was that of retrieving the forbidden scroll, and the massive amount of traps was enough to concentrate on, though he did wonder if someone had informed the Hokage of his arrival…

He looked at his map, and then peered through the darkness. Straight ahead, he thought. Unbeknownst to him, however, he was being watched.

The Third Hokage marveled at Narutos skill. Evading most of his traps with such ease and disarming others with such skill. He had almost had a heart attack when he noticed Naruto using the Hiraishin to get past some traps. He had been informed of an intruder by Iruka, but he'd had no idea that it would be Naruto. He looked on, peering into his crystal ball as Naruto maneuvered his wav past many more traps and into the room of relics.

Naruto wiped sweat off his brow as he stepped inside of the relic room. He had never performed so many Hiraishin in his life. Thankful for his Chakra reserves, he scanned the room for more traps, finding none. He then stepped into the center of the room, eyeing the forbidden scroll. As he picked it up, though, something else caught his eye…

As Naruto neared the clearing, he noticed Mizuki already standing there, frowning. Naruto then slowed his pace, until it was a walk, and moved into the clearing. Mizuki noticed him immediately, and began smiling.

"What took you, Naruto?"

Naruto looked at him quizzically.

"I stopped for a while to learn a jutsu from the scroll. You did say that…"

Mizuki cut him off.

"yes, yes. Now give me the scroll. Since you've learnt a jutsu. I have to return it."

Naruto paused, then began to pass the scroll over, when…

"Naruto! NO!"

Iruka burst onto the scene, grabbing Naruto and moving to a side. Mizukis face broke into a scowl, as he pulled out a kunai.

Naruto shook free of Irukas grasp, rolling to one side. He then looked at Iruka with a confused face.

"Mizuki-sensei said that I could be a Genin if I learned a Jutsu from this scroll"

Iruka frowned, then looked at Mizuki.

"Mizuki…Stealing the scroll?"

Mizuki then began laughing.

"Tricking the Kyuubi brat was so easy. He's desperate to become a shinobi for some absurd reason of not letting the Third down. Hah."

Mizuki stopped for a while, and pondered. Then he began his diatribe anew.

"By the way, Naruto, did you know why when you go out of the academy, nobody likes you?"

Irukas eyes widened as he hastily shouted.

"No, Mizuki! The Third's law!"

Mizuki laughed all the louder, his voice reaching a very loud tone.

"YOU, Naruto, are the Kyuubi!"

Iruka looked at Narutos face, to find it expressionless. Mizuki had also looked at Narutos face, desiring to relish the shattered look that would no doubt…appear?

There was a silence over the clearing, that caused Naruto to look around. Mizuki then shook out of his trance.

"Don't mind it, eh? Damn Kyuubi slime. I'd think the world would be better off without you."

Mizuki then tossed his kunai at Iruka, using the time to pull out a Fuuma Shuriken, which he promptly threw at Naruto…to hit Irukas unprotected back. Naruto's eyes widened, as Iruka collapsed to his right.

Mizuki laughed, and drew a kunai, walking slowly towards Naruto, whom he thought was frozen in fear.

Naruto stood and stared straight ahead at Mizuki, his face expressionless. Naruto then drew a kunai. When Mizuki was naught five feet away, Naruto began to smile. Then it extended to a chuckle, which in turn became a stream of humorless laughter.

Mizuki froze, shocked at this sudden turn of events. Had the boy gone insane from the shock? Then, Naruto ceased his laughter and looked Mizuki straight in the eye. Mizuki, his confusion gone, lunged at Naruto.

"Die, you damn freak!"

Mizukis smile became a frown, when he felt an immense impact on the side of his head. He flew into a nearby tree, splintering the trunk with a sickening crunch. He sat there motionless for a moment, more from the shock than the pain, and only raised his head when he heard Narutos soft footsteps approaching.

Naruto appeared to be conversing with himself. The conversation appeared to be quite comedic, as Naruto was notably giggling at intervals. It was only as he neared Mizuki that his words became understandable.

"Should I…Rip his lungs out? Hehehe…Maybe his heart would be a good place to start…Hehehehe…Brain juice looks nice on a backdrop of trees…Throat? Hehehehe…"

Mizuki quivered, as Naruto approached his inert body. Not because of the words, but more because of the tone they were said in. Naruto was excited. He was aching to kill. His tone gave Mizuki the impression that Naruto would vastly enjoy his untimely demise. As Mizuki attempted to move, he found that he was glued to the spot. He began sniffling, and almost broke into tears.

At that moment, Naruto dropped his kunai. Mizuki let out a sigh of immense relief, but, looking in Narutos eyes, he could still see murderous intent. Naruto began to speak again, with a frown.

"no, no, no, no, no, no. I can't kill him with a KUNAI. It can't cut well enough, and if I want his intestines out…Hehehehehe"

Naruto then reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small rod with intricate carvings on it. He then pondered a moment, looking the rod over, before 'ah'-ing and gripping it. From it's hilt arose a blade of condensed lighting, a blade so thin at the edge that one would only see a tiny flicker. Its blunt end was thin and long, and when fully extended, the entire thing looked to be as long as Narutos entire body.

Mizuki nearly screamed, as he recognized the item.

"Th-the Ni-Ni-Ni-Nidaime Hokages raijin!"

Naruto grinned sadistically as he spoke.

"Oh, you know of it? Good, then we can just get to the ripping. Hehehehe"

As Naruto raised the weapon, a hand grasped his own, and Naruto turned around violently, to reach the eyes of his assailant.

"Old man…"

The Third Hokage stood behind Naruto, with one hand behind his back, the other grasping Narutos arm. Behind him was a group of Anbu who were helping Iruka up.

"I shouldn't have allowed Iruka to come alone…"

The Third then chopped Naruto on the neck, causing him to collapse on the ground.

Naruto woke up in a hospital bed, and sat up immediately. He noticed the Third Hokage sitting in a chair next to his bed.

"I…I lost control again, didn't I…"

The Third simply took a puff on his pipe and looked at Naruto. After a moment of silence, he smiled, and began speaking.

"Don't worry, Naruto."

The Third then stood, and walked to Narutos bedside. Placing two things on Naruto's bed, he walked to the door and stopped.

"Use them well."

And he walked out.

Naruto stared at the door for a long time, before looking at the two gifts that had been place at his bedside. His eyes widened as he say a forehead protector with the Leaf symbol on it, and the raijin sword used by the Nidaime.

Naruto looked at the door again, and smiled.

---

Longest thing I've ever written.

Hope you've enjoyed it.

I tried to make Naruto creepy in the Mizuki Scene. Did it work?

Thanks to my reviewers for the reviews.

Please tell me things you'd like to see put in.

No YAOI.

Have a nice day.

Note: Title is French for Silence.


	3. Chapter Two:Intérêt

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and am not making any monetary gain from this endeavor_

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter 2: Intérêt**

The Third Hokage walked into his office, a reprieve, somewhat, from all the nonsense that Naruto's actions had brought up. Council members desiring execution, ANBU requesting assassination assignments, having to turn down over a hundred and twenty missions requesting the 'Kyuubi brat's immediate extermination…

It wasn't that they felt for Mizuki, it was more of a grab whatever chance you have to get rid of a pain in your side sort of thing. The recent incident had been publicized to no small extent by a talkative Kyuubi hating ANBU who had been on the scene, and many saw this as the perfect opportunity to be heroes.

After all, who would complain, if Konoha's most dreaded foe was wiped off the map?

The Third sighed, and swiveled his chair around, to face the window.

"I wonder how Naruto's doing with his new team…"

The students filed into the classroom, making copious amounts of noise as they went. They were getting posted into their teams today! Who wouldn't be excited? The girls hoped for Sasuke, and the boys hoped for someone who wasn't Sakura or Ino. One might wonder why they'd want anyone other than said females. The reason for such a statement would be that, though Sakura and Ino were two of the most attractive people in the class, they had qualities that weren't as attra-

"SHUT THE HELL UP, KIBA! SASUKE ISN"T GAY!"

-ctive… As seen in that remarkable display of… Enthusiasm.

However, all the noise ceased to exist, when a certain student walked into the room. All eyes were on the newcomer, and many seemed to be quite petrified at the sight of him. Apparently, the rumors of Naruto's bloodlust weren't restricted to the adults.

Naruto walked up the stairs and into his usual seat, all the while under the classes scrutinizing gaze. He nervously swallowed another of his trademark pills, and continued doing so every minute or so, until most of the student body's eyes were off him.

The class resumed their conversations, though some in more hushed tones, and others in whispers. Some students motioned to Naruto in the middle of their conversations, leading the hapless young man to wonder what they were talking about, and whether it concerned him.

All conversation abruptly ceased once again, once Iruka entered the room. Iruka flashed Naruto a bright smile, before moving into the center of the room, where he remained, sorting out his notes and scanning through some papers on a clipboard, before setting them down and almost gasping at the perfect silence he was observing.

Iruka had wished to relish it for far more than the moments he would be allowed before someone, likely Kiba or the Sasuke club shouted at him to begin.

Sighing, Iruka picked up a small sheet of paper and, eyeing the students, began to speak.

"I'm sure you all know what we're here to do today…First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on your promotions to genin. You are, as of today, legal members of Konoha's Ninja community. And, with that in mind, I expect you to behave as such, and not dishonor the name and reputation of our fair country."

Iruka took a deep breath, and stifled a chuckle, as he noticed a few of the students holding their breaths.

"Now, on to the distribution of genin into their allotted teams. As you should already know, ninja teams are comprised of three genin or chuunin under a single jounin instructor. The teams have been decided by the village council, depending on your standing in terms of skill, and on how certain ninja combinations have functioned before."

Iruka eyed the room, resting on Ino, who had begun to support her head with her hands, obviously understanding the connotations of the last part of the sentence. Iruka smiled, letting the tension set in, before beginning once again.

Naruto had been listening intently, and had along the way, gradually pieced some teams together from his knowledge of Konoha's history and records of past distributions. He had settled on the fact that a Yamanaka, an Akimichi and a Nara would be put together, because of the options that were viable and the successes of past similar combinations. He had pieced together a tracking team, comprised of Kiba, whose impeccable sense of smell would be ideal for such a job, Shino, whose natural symbiosis with his inconspicuous insects would grant great scouting potential, and Hinata, whose byakugan gave her a massive line of sight.

He still, however, had no idea who he was to be placed with. His thoughts were drawn again to Iruka, when he heard his name being called.

"Uzumaki Naruto will be placed with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Your team will be classified under the denomination 'seven', and therefore, you are henceforth, team seven."

Sakura had cheered loudly at this point, and stuck her tongue out to Ino and a few other girls, before slowly turning to eye Naruto, who was in the process of swallowing another of his pills.

Unbeknownst to Sakura, Naruto had noticed her staring, and, looking at her eyes, understood the fear present therein. How could he not, after all, he saw that look every day, walking down the street, from people far more important and infinitely more imposing that Sakura. How could he not, when it was the only look he had gotten from anyone other than the Hokage and Iruka, and how could he not, when that look had been etched into his mind, along with the word 'Monster'.

Naruto scowled for a moment, before hastily reaching for a pill and swallowing it. He then noticed that Iruka had stopped talking.

Two adults strode into the room, one a black haired lady with striking red eyes dressed in a bandage-like costume, while the other seemed to be a middle aged man whose cigarette scent was strong enough to be detected from the back row, much to the chagrin of Naruto, who hated cigarettes with a passion. Iruka, after checking on his clipboard, called for teams eight and ten, who rose and began moving towards the front.

This process repeated itself for the next thirty or so odd minutes, before only Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto remained, along with Iruka.

There was an overwhelming silence, or so it seemed, compared to Sakura's latest enthusiastically loud profession of affection for Sasuke, which was, as with her other ones, ignored. Said overwhelming silence was broken by Iruka, who began speaking after glancing at his clipboard, then at a nearby clock.

"Kids, I'm sorry, but I can't afford to wait any longer. Your instructor is…Hatake Kakashi, and, obviously, he's late. He has…uh…White hair…I think, and has a mask on. Rather recognizable guy. Good luck, yeah?"

Iruka then smiled at the team seven, and walked out, leaving the room, once again, in total silence.

For the next hour or so, our newly formed group of intrepid warriors remained silent, with Naruto reading a book, Sasuke brooding, and Sakura playing with one of her luscious pink locks of hair. The silence was broken by a small boy dashing into the classroom, staring at the three, shouting something intelligible, and dashing out. Silence reigned once again.

About two hours later, though, team seven's attention was drawn to a white haired head peeking in.

"Are you guys…Team Seven?"

Naruto shifted uncomfortably, as Team Seven sat together on the academy's balcony. Their new sensei sat in front of them, one eye covered, and the other shaped like an upside-down rainbow. Kakashi then began to speak.

"Hello."

Team Seven remained speechless. Kakashi frowned.

"How impolite. My first impression of you guys is…you're impolite. Bad start, people."

Naruto swallowed a pill, then frowned. Kakashi then began to speak again.

"Um…let's start…with your likes, dislikes…dreams, goals?"

Naruto pondered on the question for a moment, before Sakura broke the silence.

"Um, Sensei, if you're the…Sensei, why don't you…start first?"

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a while, then nodded.

"Well…My name is Hatake Kakashi…errm…I like…uh…I dislike…hm…dislike…and…I can't…tell you my hopes and dreams…"

There was silence.

Naruto massaged his temples. They had learnt nothing but his name, which Iruka had already told them.

Kakashi looked around, noticing everyone somewhat unaffected by his introduction. He scratched his head, then pointed to Sakura.

"You, pink haired girl. Begin."

Sakura pointed to herself, receiving a nod, then started.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, and I like…" she began, before blushing and glancing at Sasuke, then continuing. "I dislike insects and lizards, and my dream…my dream…my dream is to…hehe", she ended, glancing once again at Sasuke.

Kakashi twitched noticeably, and beckoned for Sasuke to go next.

"My name is Sasuke, I don't feel like telling you what I like, and I dislike a lot of things, like my team, my current situation and how my future looks. My dream is to re-establish the Uchiha clan and to kill a certain man."

Kakashi nodded, and nodded at Naruto.

Naruto had listened to his teammates introductions with a degree of annoyance. Not only were they vague, but they revealed nothing that was already known, except, maybe Sasuke's dream. Naruto decided that if they were not going to reveal anything, neither would he. Anything important, that is.

Popping a pill, he rose, and began his introduction.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I like to read, and enjoy gardening, along with learning new techniques. I dislike killing, and death. I hope…I…I hope to meet with The Third's expectations of me and become a good Shinobi."

As Naruto sat down, he popped a pill, and looked down, avoiding his team-mate's eyes.

Kakashi began speaking again immediately.

"How enlightening. Um…since today's your first day out, there are no missions, though I must urge you to come tomorrow morning to training ground 23 for your final test."

Noticing three eyes looking at him quizzically, Kakashi nonchalantly continued his speech.

"Only nine of the thirty-six will go on to be Genin, you know."

Sakura gasped, and Sasuke looked stunned. Naruto simply nodded and displayed nothing.

Kakashi then smiled and continued.

"Call it survival training, if you will. Oh, and don't eat. It'll all just come out again. Hehe. Bye."

As Kakashi dispersed, Naruto was the first to begin moving. He picked up his backpack and was on his way.

Naruto lay in bed that night attempting to decipher the purpose of this so called survival training, to no avail. He then turned to thinking about his new team-mates.

Sakura, he had deduced, had a relatively tiny amount of chakra, as seen in her numerous failed attempts at more than five bunshin. However, with this also came phenomenal chakra control. He had once seen her walk on a wall, and was amazed at how easily she succeeded in performing such a difficult task before she was even a Genin.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had large amounts of chakra, and he knew what do with them. His scope of tactics, however, left much to be desired, as seen from his rather foolhardy approach to dealing with matters, that is, a Goukakyuu.

Naruto then picked up a bottle from the side of his bed.

Eyeing it, he stood up and opened his wardrobe, slotting it inside one of the grooves in his intended attire for the following day.

He then returned to his bed and promptly dropped off to sleep.

The next morning arrived quickly, thought Naruto as he walked to training ground 23, which was a semi-circle shaped clearing surrounded by trees. He had done his research on his new instructor before he'd arrived. Hatake Kakashi. The Copy ninja who'd copied almost a thousand jutsu with his surgically implanted Sharingan. He apparently only had one jutsu to his name, which he had created himself. A mysterious A-Ranked skill known as the 'Raikiri'.

Naruto approached the training ground, popping a pill as he saw Sakura.

Sakura turned around, gasping in surprise as she surveyed Naruto's new attire. He was wearing what looked like a miniature of the Third's battle costume, but the chest was totally covered by a scarf, and he wasn't wearing a helmet. Naruto had also donned upper-arm guards reminiscent of the samurai of old, only smaller, and evidently more compact. His forehead protector was worn on his head, and the leaf symbol was also carved onto his wrist guards, gloves and knee guards. The entire outfit was black, save for the armored areas, which were a dark grey. There was also a flowing piece of cloth covering Naruto's backside down to his feet, spreading over his legs until they were partially covered. On his belt were a large amount of senbon, a few kunai and a small pole that Sakura hadn't recognized.

Sakura looked at Naruto's form get increasingly closer, then broke off, blushing at how 'cool' he looked.

Naruto felt uncomfortable under Sakura's strange gaze, and found that her blushing didn't help either. He had had this suit specially prepared for combat operations, and he felt that this had been a good time to test it out.

Naruto eventually chose to rest by a tree, eating an apple while waiting. He nearly dropped it, however, when Sakura reminded him of Kakashi's advice. Naruto stared at her for a moment.

"You just told yourself my answer."

Sakura looked puzzled.

"It was advice. Not an order."

Naruto went on eating his apple, then pulled one out from a pocket, offering it to Sakura, who looked shocked, and began speaking in a shaky tone.

"I…I think that I'll uh…follow sensei's advice."

Naruto nodded and pocketed the apple.

Sasuke arrived not long after that, and looked at Naruto's apple with disdain.

"Good Ninja don't need to eat."

Naruto looked at him as if he had a third eye, popped a pill, then popped another one.

"Ninja who don't eat are dead ninja."

Sasuke frowned, then walked off.

It was only when the sun shone brightly in the sky that Kakashi appeared.

"Sorry I'm late, guys, I had to go brush my teeth with the tail of a five toed caterpillar for good luck. Hehe"

There was Silence.

Kakashi, undisturbed, began explaining his test.

"Alright, then, genin. This is my test for you. You're to retrieve these two bells from my belt…" Kakashi dangled two bells. "Before the time runs out."

Sakura then spoke up.

"Why are there only two bells?"

Kakashi smiled, and responded.

"Only two will pass."

Team Seven was silent. The three of them wondered if he was joking.

Kakashi smiled, and pulled out an orange book.

"You may begin."

A large puff of smoke appeared, and when it cleared, only Naruto was left behind.

Kakashi scratched his head.

"For a guy who dresses so stealthily, you sure aren't trying to be stealthy…Lesson number one in the Ninja wor…ld?"

Kakashi stopped when he realized that Naruto wasn't listening.

Naruto was in the process of walking to each tree surrounding the clearing, and sticking a kunai from his belt or from under his cloak into each until he came to the river that made the clearing a semicircle, whereupon he began placing kunai on the riverbanks. He continued this strange behavior, confusing both his team-mates and his instructor. He only stopped when he reached the first tree he had 'marked'. He then swiveled on his right foot and threw a kunai at Kakashi, who caught it with practiced ease.

Kakashi smirked, then began to speak in a bored tone.

"Lesson two of the…"

Kakashi felt a large chakra surge as Naruto appeared in front of him, swinging the Raijin in an overhead swing that would have cleaved him in two. Kakashi managed to sidestep, and swung his own kunai, to hit nothing. Suddenly, Naruto appeared again, behind him, with a sideways swing, which Kakashi only narrowly avoided. This chain of events continued for a while, Kakashi having to dodge one slash, only to have to immediately act to dodge another.

Up in the trees, however, Sasuke looked on with confusion. He could only see Kakashi moving around strangely, with yellow flashed appearing out of nowhere.

Sakura was having a harder time comprehending Kakashi's actions.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was slowly recognizing the technique. It seemed so familiar to him, yet so distant. Suddenly, he saw Naruto heading for him again in a flash of yellow…yellow flash…Yondaime. It all came back to him, as he lost his focus for a moment, and braced for the impact…which never came. He felt heat around his left waist, where he noticed his bells were gone. Cursing, he looked around, to notice Naruto sitting under a tree, panting.

Naruto then smiled, and help up the bells.

Kakashi grimaced as Sasuke jumped out of the trees and Sakura walked out of the bushes.

"Naruto…you…you…"

Kakashi was at a loss for words. No genin had been able to retrieve his bells before…

"Fail."

Naruto's eyes widened.

Sasuke smirked.

Sakura's jaw dropped.

Kakashi looked strangely guilty for a while, but then began to elaborate.

"You haven't understood the meaning…of this exercise. The one who…"

Kakashi stopped at the sound of laughter. Soft, it was, but laughter nonetheless

It was coming from Naruto, who was smiling.

A large and extremely dangerous looking smile.

Cliffhanger! Sorry.

I wanted to try it out. Suspense? Yes? Yes?

I'll try to churn the next one out by this week, soon, I'd hope.

Thank you to the reviewers who reviewed.

To those unhappy with the Kakashi fight, the reason for Kakashi's 'loss', is that he didn't expect the Hiraishin, and even though he could have countered, was stunned at the end when he remembered who the last one to use the technique was.

Please give me tips, and help me improve.

By the way, after the next chapter, I'm afraid the updates will slow down. I have school to attend, and I have co-curricular and tuition.

By the way, I hope I didn't make Sakura too evil, Kakashi too unfair or anything?

Still haven't decided on a romance. Please keep sending in suggestions.

Won't be Hinata. Not going to make her interested in Naruto in this one.

Additional notes, if you're wondering why Naruto is so powerful in non-nutzo form, the answer is…he isn't. He's smarter, yes, and more patient, with a better grasp of tactics, but PsychoNaru is a jutsu powerhouse, while, notice Narunormal hasn't performed anything of significance other than Hiraishin?

Additionally, if the description for the clothes confused you, think Darth vader for the lower part(cloth) and traditional ninja sans mask for everything else. And mini samurai pauldrons for the upper arm guards

Have a nice day.


	4. Chapter Three: Lâcher

_Disclaimer: I Don't own Naruto and am not making any profit of this endeavour._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Three: Lâcher**

_Previously…_

_Kakashi stopped at the sound of laughter. Soft, it was, but laughter nonetheless_

_It was coming from Naruto, who was smiling._

_A large and extremely dangerous looking smile._

There was a dreadful stillness in the air on Training ground 23, as all focus was on Naruto. He was laughing softly, but the malevolence present in his voice was not to be mistaken. He rose from his seated position and looked straight at Kakashi's face.

"I know what the damn reason for your test was."

Kakashi squinted, and crossed his arms as Naruto continued.

"Teamwork."

Kakashi's face showed no expression as he began to speak.

"Knowing it and not acting on it is as good as not knowing at all…"

Naruto smiled his insane smile again.

"Look around you, you great damn retard. I don't think you heard Emo-maggot's little speech yesterday. And I hope you haven't forgotten Sakura's little intro either. Maybe if you didn't cover your Sharingan so much, you'd be able to see what really happened."

Sasuke gasped.

"Sharingan…H-Hey!"

Naruto glared at him.

"I'M NOT DONE, EMO-MAGGOT."

If looks could kill, Naruto'd be roasting in pain right now…but so would Sasuke…

Kakashi understood the truth of Naruto's words. He knew the teamwork, even if they were team-mates for a long time, would forever be compromised by each member's conflicting interests, not to mention their radically different personalities.

"Naruto…you have to at least try. I mean, maybe you can work something out?"

Naruto put his hand up.

"Enough. I've taken enough of your nonsense. I get your bells, you fail me. You reneged on an agreement…And I don't like agreement breakers very much."

Naruto's smile widened, as he extracted the raijin from his belt, activating it and getting into a stance. Sakura, eyes wide, tried to calm him.

"Na-Na-Naruto… C'mon, we can just…try again…"

Naruto silenced her with a glare.

Kakashi knew it was unavoidable, and readied himself. He then pulled up his head protector, to reveal his left eye, a Sharingan. He then discarded the Kunai thrown at him by Naruto, understanding it's task as a conduit for the Hiraishin.

Naruto charged forward, his blade looking like actual lightning. His swings brought nothing, though, as Kakashi's Sharingan busily scanned his movements. Naruto then jumped back, and did some hand-seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" , he called, as a human-sized Falcon appeared in a plume of smoke.

Kakashi's eyes widened as the Bird charged forward, causing him to dodge to the side, only to run into the path of Naruto's swing. Kakashi hastily rolled out of the way, and Naruto somersaulted back.

Kakashi was having trouble with the Falcon, who was immensely fast, and rushed in and out at regular intervals. Meanwhile, Naruto was flowing through a complicated set of hand-seals, smiling as he mouthed the words. "Daijigoku no Jutsu".

Kakashi felt the ground shake, and immediately jumped to avoid the effects of the quicksand which threatened to swallow him up. As he bounded away, he noticed more pools of quicksand appearing where he stepped. Kakashi kept his evading up, and managed to get onto a tree, where the falcon was waiting.

Naruto watched as Kakashi fought off his falcon, and looked to the side, where his team-mates stood. He walked over to them.

"Hellooo, nurse", he said, looking Sakura over. "what's a sweet thing like you doing all the way over here?"

Naruto then smiled insanely at Sakura, while she cringed and took a few steps back. Sasuke wisely kept his distance.

"Raikiri!"

Naruto was still smiling as Kakashi's arm entered his chest through his back.

"ouchies"

Naruto muttered through a girn.

Kakashi withdrew his arm, frowning at Naruto.

"Never turn your back to your opponent."

Kakashi's diatribe was interrupted as he swiftly moved aside to dodge a falling Raijin.

Naruto grinned insanely as he spoke, swinging at the same time.

"You're going to die, Kakashi! DIE, DIE, DIE! Hehehehehahahahahaaaa!"

Kakashi worked desperately to parry Naruto's swings, unable to do anything other than that. Naruto's arms worked at an almost blinding speed, such that most of the time, his sword wasn't even visible.

Kakashi's defenses faltered for a moment, and Naruto scored a large gash on Kakashi's right upper arm, along with spreading vast amounts of electricity coursing through the Jounin's body, a side effect of the Raijin.

Kakashi collapsed onto one knee, panting as Naruto took slow, deliberate steps towards him. He threw a kunai, only to have it sliced clean in two by the raijin.

Kakashi held his right arm, and attempted to use a medical jutsu to stem the blood flow.

"Kakashi. You can't escape. Might as well commit suicide and let me chop you up, right?"

Kakashi rose from his crouched position, making a hand-seal. As his Raikiri charged up, he turned to face Naruto. He grimaced, and charged at Naruto.

Naruto grinned, and swung the Raijin in a lazy arc, watching as the two lightning blades met in a vast onslaught of sparks and coursing electricity, and eventually, an explosion.

As the smoke cleared, one could see Naruto standing quite straight, and Kakashi on the floor, his left hand bleeding profusely.

"I've severed two of your fingers, Kakashi. No more hand seals for you, I'm afraid. Hehe."

Kakashi frowned. The fingers could be re-attached with chakra…But now wasn't the time to be thinking of that. With his wounded right hand, he slowly made one-handed hand-seals.

"Kirigakure no jutsu…"

Kakashi immediately followed up with another technique.

"Suiton, Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

Naruto dodged aside, as three water dragons appeared and charged at him.

"Futile, Kakashi. Trying to prolong your own suffering?"

Naruto's eyes widened as Kakashi appeared behind him.

"Kanashibari no jutsu!"

With a touch, Naruto was immobilised. Kakashi then swiftly pulled out a syringe, and slammed it into Naruto's neck. Naruto's eyes went blank for a moment, then he collapsed.

Kakashi sighed.

"Thank the holiest of holies for the Hokage."

Then he fell over.

Naruto woke up in a familiar situation. Almost identical to the one before. The Third by his bedside…

"Naruto, you really have to stop doing this…"

Naruto frowned, and collapsed back on his bed.

A week later, at their allotted meeting place, Team Seven gathered.

Naruto was treated to looks of anger by Sasuke, and intense fear by Sakura. Walking nervously by, he popped another of his pills.

There was an immense silence between the three, and it continued on for almost an hour, before Kakashi approached, his right arm in a cast, and his left hand bandaged up, with other bandages everywhere on his bruised body.

As he approached, he gave the Team a hearty smile.

" I know I said you all failed…And you probably would fail…I've decided to give you guys a chance at ninjahood. After all, what would such talents be used for if scorned, right?"

Sasuke smirked, and Sakura cheered, but Naruto looked downcast, staring all the while at Kakashi's bandaged form.

Kakashi merely smiled.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto."

Naruto's expression did not display any change, But he nodded.

"Sensei, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose control like that…and…I'm sorry about your arm…and hands…"

Kakashi waved it off.

"I've told you, Naruto. No harm done."

Naruto then turned to his team-mates. Sasuke snarled at him, and Sakura looked rather frightened.

"I'm sorry for ridding you of a week's training, and I'm sorry for scaring you, Sakura."

Naruto was met with silence for a moment…

Before Sakura spoke up, in a shaky voice.

"Um…No..problem, naruto…Just…uh…don't go…uh…dangerous on us…okay…?"

Naruto smiled and nodded.

Sakura then nodded, and smiled back, albeit in a shakier way.

Sasuke simply crossed his arms and glared.

Kakashi observed them for while…

"Okay, people! I've got an exciting mission for you today! Search and destroy!"

Team Seven looked puzzled as Sakura spoke up.

"destroy…what?"

Kakashi smiled.

"Rats."

Thanks to my reviewers! I hope the battle scene was adequate, and please give me tips on how to improve!

As previously mentioned, Chapters will be churned out slower, because of lack of holidays and other things.

Still looking for a couple.

Hope I didn't make Kakashi too weak?

And I hope it doesn't seem too rushed…

Thanks

Have a nice day!


	5. Chapter Four: Lumière

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm not making any profit from this venture._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Five: Lumière**

Kakashi eyed Naruto wearily, as the blond boy trained. He couldn't understand it. This Naruto was far from the one he had fought, both in terms of skill and, perhaps more importantly, in terms of mannerisms. For the past month, Naruto had been nothing but courteous to him, apologizing more than a few times, almost until it became quite annoying.

Then again, he thought, unconsciously nursing his right arm. It did hurt. Kakashi winced as he touched a spot still sore from the follow-up surgery.

Naruto's relationship with his teammates had greatly improved over the weeks they had been together. The D-Ranked mission, he now understood, were a method of building up teamwork, while earning money at the same time. Sakura now responded well to his greetings, and sometimes initiated conversation with him on her own, though she mostly talked about how she wanted to be Sasuke's one true love. Naruto didn't mind, though. It was good having someone to talk to.

That frightened look that occasionally flashed in her eyes would never be remedied, though, but Naruto understood, after all, he hadn't made quite the first impression he had been hoping for.

However, his attempts to befriend Sasuke had not been met with much enthusiasm. Sasuke had, however, begun to stare at Naruto in a rather unsettling fashion, after his display against Kakashi. The stares would often stay for almost a minute, before Naruto felt them no more. He had begun to question whether the comments he had made while in his crazed state had hurt Sasuke's feelings.

Naruto had also begun to question Sasuke's sexuality, to explain the strange staring, but dismissed those thoughts, though they lingered in the back of his head sometimes.

Kakashi had been quite forgiving, though Naruto still believed that he needed to make up for it. Naruto's teacher had been extremely accommodating, especially with Naruto's strange Chakra Controlling disabilities.

Naruto's taijutsu, however, had improved quite a great deal, especially when it came to his usage of the Hiraishin. Kakashi had quite a large bit of experience when it came to that particular technique, and had shared those experiences quite readily, leading Naruto to believe that Kakashi knew or had known someone who was rather proficient in it.

Naruto had also trained a great deal with the Raijin, much to the dismay of the local environmentalists, who did not much appreciate the rampant destruction of their beloved forests.

Naruto sighed, as he picked up the cat by the scruff of it's neck. It wasn't that he hated cats; on the contrary, he adored them. But having to retrieve Tora on a daily basis was not an enjoyable task, for she was an intelligent cat, and they had to resort to more intelligent tactics to retrieve her each time. This time it was sleeping gas. What would it be next time?

Then again, Tora's owner was a rather heavy tipper, and Naruto always walked away with more a bit more pocket money to spend.

Still, He was getting tired of all these incredibly boring D-Rankers. They were doing nothing for his skills, and gave him no opportunities to test himself…Though a small voice at the back of his head kept saying that he'd had enough opportunities.

As team seven walked through Konoha Village proper, they noticed team ten walking from the main administration building. Ino, who was holding a rather large wad of cash, noticed them, and began walking their way with a large smile on her face.

"Heya, forehead girl."

Sakura snarled, and Ino smirked.

"Wondering where I got this much cash?"

Every member of team seven excluding Kakashi gazed with awe-struck eyes at the large amount of Ryou present in Ino's hand. Ino snickered.

"Asuma-sensei got us an easy C-Ranker, and, let me tell you this, it netted us one heck of a lot of dough."

Ino's eyes turned to slits as she continued.

"It also officially puts us one level higher than your team in terms of skill…No offense, Sasuke-kun…I know you're better than them!"

Sakura stopped Ino, just as she was about to begin a passionate speech on Sasuke's immense glory. After all, it was her duty, as a fellow Sasuke fan-girl. Only she would be allowed to praise Sasuke.

Sakura laughed inwardly, but asked her question anyway.

"What do you mean by that, Piggy?"

Ino's eyes flashed, and a vein pulsed on her forehead, but with a large amount of willpower, she managed to hold the impending outburst back. She even smiled, as she uttered her next sentence.

"Have YOU done any C-Ranked missions?"

Silence.

Ino began laughing crazily.

"See you around, forehead girl!"

Ino walked off, laughing gleefully, causing passers-by to look at her strangely as Kakashi suddenly felt three pairs of eyes staring at him.

He lowered his beloved book, which was balanced precariously between two bandaged-up fingers. His lone eye met the eyes of his students.

"What?"

Sakura twitched, and Sasuke cracked his knuckles. Naruto glanced between them nervously. Kakashi sighed.

"Alright, alright, I'll speak with the Hokage…"

Sakura smiled contentedly, as the group resumed their march towards the administration building, where their reward for Tora's safe return remained still unclaimed.

The next day, Team seven met at what they had dubbed 'their' bridge, excluding Kakashi. Naruto was reading a book on medical jutsu and their more famous users, and Sakura was attempting, like any other day, to ask Sasuke out on a date, the result of which, identical again to any other day, be failure.

The sun rose high into the sky as they waited, Naruto moving to shade and Sasuke doing the same, with Sakura following eagerly behind.

It was then that Kakashi chose to arrive. Punctual, on his clock…Unfortunately, it was three hours late, on everyone else's.

Kakashi smiled, as he prepared to give his regular excuse, stopping when he heard no shouting from Sakura. Fortunately for him, Sakura was more concerned with the C-Ranked mission request to bother with his tardy behavior, after all, she shouldn't, no, wouldn't lose to the blond haired pig-bimbo, as she liked to call her, after the recent incident.

Kakashi grinned, as he pulled out a orange mission scroll, much different from team seven's daily staple of yellow D-Rank scrolls. Sakura squealed, but stopped, to ask a question.

"What are we supposed to do?"

Kakashi's grin faltered, just a bit, as he explained.

"It's an escort mission. We're to accompany a bridge builder to Wave country, so that he can oversee the completion of a new bridge. It's a rather simple little thing, and the pay's high enough. The guy's name is…"

Kakashi was interrupted as a portly, grizzled looking man holding a sake bottle walked slowly and shakily onto the scene.

"Tazuna, brats, and you'd do well to remember it."

Tazuna eyed team seven's members, stopping briefly at Naruto, to watch him pop a pill. He then turned to Kakashi.

"Are you sure these twits can guard me? They look weak and stupid. And the blond kid takes medication…"

Kakashi lazily eyed the bridge builder.

"They're the best genin Konoha has to offer…"

Tazuna snorted.

"I'd better be getting what I paid for."

The next day dawned swiftly, as team seven found themselves outside the village gates, holding their backpacks, Sakura in her neat red cheongsam, Sasuke in his Ninja shirt and shorts, and Naruto dressed in a casual white shirt and long, loose black pants, his head protector wrapped tidily around his upper arm.

Tazuna approached not long after they had assembled, and Kakashi slightly after.

They set out from there, with Kakashi and Naruto both taking the lead, both reading books, though the content of which vastly differed. Sakura was taking a break from he pursuit of Sasuke's affection, and was instead reading a scroll from he bag. Sasuke was behind everyone, seemingly admiring the scenery.

Their progress was low, but it was to be expected, from a group escorting a man not trained in the speed traveling techniques available to most ninja.

As they walked, Naruto's eyes were drawn to a rather large puddle at the side of the road. He almost spoke, but stopped, as he felt Kakashi's hand on his shoulder.

The group passed said puddle, and continued walking from it, with Kakashi falling strangely behind, to continue walking behind Sasuke.

Suddenly, an explosive detonated, and two figures burst out of the smoke. In between them was a thin chain, which was promptly wrapped around Kakashi.

"One down" said one of the figures, as they pulled the chain and Kakashi exploded in a rain of gore.

The two people began to move towards Sasuke, so intent on their goal that they did not notice a kunai landing with a 'thunk' between them.

"Two down" was heard, as the two figures pulled on their chain…to lose balance and stumble.

Both of team seven's mysterious assailants looked at each other, before settling their eyes on the severed bits of chain on the floor in front of Sasuke, then moving towards a figure holding a thin, glowing sword.

No members of either group moved for a second, before one of the assailants pulled out a multitude of shuriken and threw them at Naruto.

Naruto jumped swiftly out of the way, as Sasuke snapped out of his daze, and headed for the other assailant. Sakura retrieved a kunai from her pouch and stood in front of Tazuna.

"No one makes a fool of the demon brothers!", one of the newly identified demon brothers shouted, charging at Naruto with a small wakizashi drawn. Naruto swallowed a pill in a quick palm motion, and began his own charge. His opponent suddenly jumped, and came at Naruto with a falling slash. This tactic was, however, interrupted when Naruto threw a kunai towards his opponent, watching him dodge.

Naruto's opponent smirked, as he spun sideways mid-air, and bounced off a nearby tree, making a beeline for Naruto once again, only to see him flash out of existence, and reappear behind him, next to another kunai stuck into said tree.

The first Demon brother was falling before he knew it, with two rather deep cuts on his back, and large amounts of electricity frying him inside out.

Naruto turned, to see Sasuke still in combat with the other brother.

Sasuke ran towards the second brother, his kunai drawn, one in each hand. He swung rapidly, having each swing parried, until he managed to find an opening, and performed a roundhouse kick. It stunned his opponent for a while, but before Sasuke could stab him, he was stopped by Naruto's form in front of him.

Sasuke began to complain, before noticing Naruto's right arm, which had been impaled by the Demon brother's claw, which would have struck him somewhere more vital, had Naruto not stepped in. Fortunately, the Demon brother wouldn't be getting any more shots, with the Raijin stuck in between his lungs.

Kakashi chose that exact moment to reappear, visible eye wide, as he noticed both brothers down and frying. His eye slowly moved to settle on Naruto's wound.

"Their claws were poison tipped, you know."

Naruto's eyes widened, as he reached into his pocket and withdrew three pills, consuming them, then looking around rather nervously.

Kakashi's eyes immediately widened immensely, when Naruto's hand began to glow green. He then rushed towards Naruto and grabbed his wrist, as the green began to wildly fluctuate into deep viridian.

"Naruto, you really shouldn't try that until you have better Chakra control… if you tried this on yourself, I think your hand would become something along the lines of…say…thirty years older?"

Naruto's eyes widened, and he quickly released his Chakra, reaching for a kunai and stabbing himself in the wrist, bleeding his arteries out. Sakura flinched, and Sasuke twitched at the sheer amount of blood leaking out. Suddenly, though, Naruto pulled out a roll of bandages and, with his teeth and his unhurt left arm, he successfully managed to stem the blood flow, though the bandage was slightly reddish in color.

Kakashi smiled, and patted Naruto on the head, while Sasuke looked confusedly at Naruto.

Sakura gave Naruto a worried look, then turned to Kakashi.

"Why would he have turned thirty years older, and what was he trying, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto, then at Sakura.

"He was attempting medical chakra treatment, a technique no doubt procured from that book he was reading. He was, however, using too much Chakra, which would have caused the healed part to age prematurely, as medical chakra basically speeds up the healing factor, which is innately slow, and, in turn speeds up aging for the healed part as well."

Sakura nodded, then rushed to Naruto, to attempt to help.

Kakashi then turned to a Nervous looking Tazuna with a scowl on his masked face.

"You never mentioned Ninja. Bandits, yes. But trained Shinobi would be at least a B-Ranked mission."

Tazuna took a step back, and sighed as the members of the group crowded around him.

"Wave can't afford the cost of a B Ranked mission. That's the reason we're building a bridge, to get income, and…"

Kakashi cut him off.

"That doesn't explain WHY there are Ninja after you."

Tazuna looked frightened for a moment, then continued.

"I…We…Gatoh…"

Sakura frowned for a Moment.

"As in the rich shipping magnate Gatoh?"

Tazuna nodded.

"The bridge we're building would ruin the Shipping industry in that area, and he doesn't want that happening. He hired Ninja to kill me before I could go and deliver the final plans."

Kakashi nodded, and there was silence for a while, before he turned to his team.

"This is officially a B-Ranked mission, far beyond the capabilities of a Genin. Do you guys still want to continue?"

There was no movement for a while.

Suddenly, Naruto nodded, and Sakura, looking at him, then at Sasuke, spoke up.

"I think we're good enough for a B-Ranker, and, besides, we're so far out already. We should go on."

Kakashi's face was expressionless for a second, then transformed into a smile.

"Bravery is a good quality, people."

Tazuna sighed in relief, as Kakashi and Naruto once again took the lead, and the group began their journey anew.

No one noticed the worried look on Kakashi's face, as he looked towards the horizon.

"The next battle…Will be Jounin ranked…I hope I'm doing the right thing…"

---

Enjoyed it? I sure hope so. I tore myself from my schedule just to write it for you. I hope you liked it.

Tips? Criticism? Praise?

Thanks for your time.

Revised. Replaced waterfall with wave. Sorry bout that.


	6. Chapter Five: Désespérance

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm not making any money out of this._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Five:** **Désespérance**

Naruto looked around nervously, as mist began to gather around them. He quickly swallowed one of his pills, and looked back, then front again, strangely relieved that his team was still there, as was the bridge builder.

He sighed, thinking back on the events that had transpired since the fight with the demon brothers. Sakura seemed to be strangely reverent around him now, and kept fussing over his wound. Naruto didn't know what had come over her. Sasuke had been staring at him for extended periods of time, either at his bandaged hand, or at him, in general.

Naruto found it creepy, to be frank.

Kakashi had been acting normal, but Naruto had noticed him tense up at the slightest sound, no doubt worry, after the previous attack.

Suddenly, Sakura threw a kunai at a nearby tree, startling Naruto and making Kakashi twitch. She then walked towards the tree where her kunai had struck, and let out a squeak.

Team seven gathered around her, to see a snow white rabbit, cowering under the kunai. As Sakura apologized profusely, Tazuna laughed, and Sasuke sighed, both Naruto and Kakashi were thinking the same thing. How could a rabbit with a winter coat be living around here?

Not far down the road after that, a boat came into view. Tazuna smiled, and urged the group forward.

On the boat stood a middle aged man, whose mouth curled up into a smile as Tazuna approached. When all five passengers were aboard, they set out, the man using an oar to push the boat out into a wide expanse of river.

Kakashi's expression was grim, as he began speaking softly.

"Our next battle will not be at Chuunin level" he said, face expressionless as Sakura began smiling, and Naruto sighed in relief.

"It'll be Jounin level…"

All smiles disappeared, and Naruto swallowed another of his pills.

As the boat slowed to a stop by a small wooden pier, Tazuna spoke with the owner of the boat for a while, before the group began their journey again.

"We're heading for my daughter's house now. We'll be relatively safe, there, and you'll get a nice meal, and beds." Said the old bridge builder.

The trip was long and rather uneventful, until Sasuke sped up, and walked beside Naruto. Naruto squirmed for a while, not wanting to be there, but not wanting to be rude, either, until Sasuke spoke up in a quiet tone.

"Thanks."

Naruto almost fell over at that point, as Sasuke slowed down again and resumed his journey behind everyone else. Naruto swallowed numerous pills, after that, drawing much attention to himself.

Kakashi smiled, as he watched his group's teamwork slowly build.

This series of events were, however, interrupted when Kakashi suddenly bolted for Tazuna and pushed him down, narrowly avoiding a gigantic cleaver, which passed over them and promptly stuck itself into a nearby tree.

As team seven recovered from the shock, all eyes were drawn to a man who had appeared atop the great sword.

He turned around, revealing a dark skinned man with a mask and numerous bandages along his arms and body.

"Sharingan Kakashi, we finally meet."

Kakashi reached for a pocket, and pulled out a red booklet.

"Bingo book A-Rank listed Nukenin from Kirigakure…Momochi Zabuza?"

The mysterious stranger began to laugh.

"I'm honored. The great Copy-Nin of a thousand jutsu knows my name. I am humbled."

Naruto swallowed a few pills, and withdrew his Raijin from a pocket, but did not activate it. Sakura pulled out a few shuriken, and readied herself.

Sasuke got into a defensive stance and the three genin stood in front or around Tazuna.

Zabuza smirked, as large amounts of mist gathered around the area. He then disappeared, reappearing on a large body of water nearby, his sword at the ready.

Kakashi growled, and mouthed a few commands.

"You're no match for him. Stay back!"

In the back of his mind, however, he wondered about Naruto, as he charged towards Zabuza, a kunai drawn.

The two Jounin matched blow after blow, each more ear shattering than the previous, until Kakashi managed to find an opening, and stab Zabuza in the stomach…Only to have him dissolve into water, a twisted grin slightly visible through the mask.

Another Zabuza appeared behind him, and swung his sword in a wide arc, barely missing the Copy-Nin. Kakashi immediately somersaulted in the air, and charged the moment he touched water again. Once again, the two matched their skills, Seemingly on par, until a strangely familiar event occurred; The fallen Zabuza dissolved into Water.

Kakashi immediately recognized the plan Zabuza was pulling in place. Tire your opponent down with copies, then finish him off when he was weak. Though Kakashi still had vast reserved of energy, he knew he couldn't keep it up for too long, lest Zabuza get a shot of his own.

Naruto watched, as the duel took place, looking around for the real Zabuza. Suddenly, he felt the wind change, above him, and he immediately pushed himself forcefully back, in turn pushing Tazuna out of the way, as Zabuza landed where he had been, and swung his blade, narrowly missing Sasuke and Sakura, who had noted Naruto's actions and guessed what was coming.

Naruto then activated his Raijin, watching Zabuza's expression change.

"Nice sword, there, kiddo." Said the jounin, as he swung his blade, clashing with Naruto's. Naruto gritted his teeth, as his sword became a blur, deflecting and attempting strikes, as Zabuza did the same.

Suddenly, A cry of 'Katon, Goukakyuu' was heard, as a large ball of flame barreled their way. Naruto smirked, as he barrel-rolled out of the way, watching as the Zabuza clone evaporated in Sasuke's attack. He flashed a thumbs up at Sasuke, who simply smirked, and nodded.

Naruto then threw a bunch of kunai to Sakura, and winked at her. She looked at them for a moment, then nodded.

Suddenly, three Zabuza look-alikes landed in front of Kakashi and Zabuza's fight, as if to hold the Konoha genin off.

Sakura, anticipating this, threw three of Naruto's kunai at the clones, watching as they merely dodged aside, and the kunai landed harmlessly at their feet.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was having trouble of his own, as whenever he managed to destroy one of Zabuza's clones, a new one would appear and begin fighting again. Suddenly, the Zabuza he was fighting smirked, and Kakashi's eye opened in realization as he felt water surround and trap him into a bubble.

Naruto's eyes widened, as Kakashi was imprisoned in the strange water-bubble, and all of the Zabuzas began to laugh.

Kakashi spoke in a muffled tone, as water entered his mouth.

"Run, you can't beat him!"

Naruto frowned, as he suddenly disappeared, appearing again momentarily behind one of the Zabuza clone guards, then behind another, then finally behind the middle one.

Suddenly, all three dissipated into water, and Naruto swiftly turned around and threw something that looked like a small wooden plank onto the water near Zabuza.

Zabuza looked surprised, and began laughing again.

"You're damn fast, kid, I'll give you that. You may even be…"

He was interrupted as Naruto appeared in front of him, where the small plank was. The raijin headed towards Zabuza as he hastily dodged back, watching spitefully as his water prison was released, and Kakashi escaped.

Naruto immediately sunk into the water, and Kakashi kneeled down and patted him on the head.

"I'll handle the rest. Tell Sakura and Sasuke they did a good job."

Naruto nodded, and began to swim back to shore.

Zabuza cursed, as he placed his sword on his back, and began to flow through a large amount of hand seals.

Kakashi shifted his head-protector up, revealing his Sharingan. He then proceeded to emulate Zabuza's seals.

They continued for a moment, before both Jounin called out.

"Suiton:Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

Naruto's eyes widened, as Sakura whispered to Sasuke.

"Doesn't Kakashi sensei already know that move? Why does he need to use his eye?"

Sasuke shook his head, no longer amazed at the sharingan's capabilities, since Kakashi had shown it to him during a training session.

Two enormous water dragons emerged from the water, and a struggle ensued, as both managed to injure each other, and both dissolved into a large amount of water, causing it to 'rain'.

Kakashi waited for the 'rain' to clear, then noticed Zabuza doing more hand seals.

His eyes widened, as he shouted for his team to get down.

A huge explosion occurred, and vast amounts of water were conjured up, as the surrounding area was flooded.

As soon as the explosion stopped, Naruto looked up, to see Kakashi and Zabuza resuming their fight once again.

Suddenly, however, three needles hit Zabuza's neck.

He went down, eyes wide as his sword fell from his hand.

A mysterious masked youth appeared in the clearing, grabbing Zabuza's arm and hoisting him onto his shoulder with surprising ease. He then picked up Zabuza's greatsword and looked at team seven.

"I thank you for your assistance in the Zabuza's retrieval. I will now be disposing of his body."

Kakashi staggered back, falling to the ground.

Naruto looked at the youth quizzically.

"Shouldn't hunter-nin dispose of the body right there and then?"

The hunter looked startled, and took a hasty step back, then disappeared in a plume of smoke.

Kakashi sighed, as he got up.

"We'll be seeing those two again…"

He winced, as he noted a few reopened cuts

As they approached Tazuna's house, there was silence, as Kakashi staggered through the door, to be greeted by a kindly looking woman.

"Oh my! We must get you to a bed!" she said, hurrying him towards a nearby bedroom.

Naruto walked into the house, looking at the rather bleak furnishings. Sasuke walked in soon after, and promptly sat on a ragged looking chair. Sakura sat down next to him, and eyed him dreamily.

Naruto sat down on a badly maintained sofa, and flinched as his arm began to ache.

Tazuna walked in promptly after, and smiled.

"Would you guys like anything to drink?"

Sasuke shook his head, as did Naruto. Sakura stood and asked if he had green tea.

Later, as they were shown to their rooms, a young boy stepped out of a room. Noticing the genin, he scowled, and began to speak in a low tone.

"Nobody can beat Gatoh. You're wasting your time, your energy and your lives."

Naruto ignored him, as they headed into a medium sized room with three tatami mats laid out. Tsunami sighed, as the young boy glared at the three genin from the door.

"Forgive Inari. He…hasn't been the same since Gatoh killed his…father…"

She'd mentioned the last part with much difficulty, holding back some tears as she sped out of the room, pushing Inari along with her.

There was silence, as each genin sat on his or her allocated tatami mat and proceeded to engage in their own activities.

It was a few hours later that Tsunami called them in for dinner. Naruto had been reading yet another book, while Sakura was filing her nails, and Sasuke had been sharpening his kunai.

They walked out quietly, and placed themselves down at a small table in a dimply lit room. Tazuna was there, and a bandaged up Kakashi sat facing their side of the table.

He smiled as they entered.

"Good job out there, guys. That was a nice bit of planning."

Team seven smiled sheepishly as Tsunami arrived with their food.

Naruto chewed his food thoroughly, enjoying it as the flavor of the well cooked eel rolled over his tongue. The menu had been sparse, but Tsunami really knew how to stretch the dollar, from the looks of it. The food was delicious.

Sakura began chatting with Tsunami on the cooking method, and Naruto listened intently. After all, he had to cook for himself, back in Konoha. Sasuke had reached for extras, and Kakashi was talking to Tazuna about Wave country's situation.

Suddenly, Inari walked into the room.

"How can you people be so cheerful! You're all going to die horrible deaths! You're all freaking retarded!"

All eyes were on him, as silence overwhelmed the room. Only Naruto continued eating. Inari glared at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? YOU'RE GOING TO DIE, YOU FLIPPING FREAK!"

Naruto simply reached for another piece of eel.

"I don't talk to losers."

Naruto continued eating.

Inari was furious. He stormed out of the room.

Sakura looked annoyed, and Sasuke resumed his eating. Kakashi stared after Inari.

Tsunami sighed.

"I'm really sorry. He's…quite persistent…"

Sakura spoke up.

"Naruto, you really shouldn't…He lost his father."

Naruto simply continued eating.

"And I grew up without any parents at all."

Naruto then placed his bowl down, stood up, and walked to the living quarters.

Sakura gazed at the doorway and Sasuke had stopped eating, as Kakashi nodded his head sadly.

The next day, Kakashi met his three students outside of Tsunami's house. His arm was in a cast and he was leaning on a pair of crutches. He noted that Sasuke and Sakura were staring at Naruto, who was under a tree, reading. He sighed.

"Guys, I estimate we have a week or so before Zabuza manages to recover enough to attack again. I've got to teach you some exercises."

All attention was on him, as he slowly walked to a nearby tree and placed a foot on its trunk. He then slowly began to walk up the tree. When he reached the halfway point, he turned around and looked down at the genin.

"This technique depends on Chakra control."

Naruto's face fell.

"And I know you aren't very good at that, Naruto…So I've devised something for you, similar to this exercise."

Naruto smiled as Kakashi continued.

"Anyway, the two of you should start on this. The faster You can do this, the faster I can teach you something like what I'll be teaching Naruto."

Sasuke and Sakura nodded, and went to work.

Naruto, curious at what would happen if he attempted the exercise, went up to a tree and placed a foot on its trunk. He attempted to channel chakra to his foot. Suddenly, a massive surge disrupted the flow and the part of the tree his leg was on was reduced to splinters.

Sasuke and Sakura stared on, wide-eyed as the tree collapsed. Kakashi shook his head, and beckoned for Naruto to follow him.

Soon, they reached a clearing with a small lake. It was rather pristine, with flowers growing in thick clumps around the lake, and sunlight streaming in through the gaps in the thick canopy leaves.

Kakashi walked towards the lake, and stepped on it's surface, continuing until he was standing at it's center.

"No doubt you recognize this technique. After all, you just saw it in action not two days ago."

Naruto nodded cautiously.

"I know what you're thinking. Water-walking requires oodles more Chakra control that tree walking. This is why I've taken the liberty of making something for you. A buffer, if you will. If takes advantage of the fact that you can perform the Hiraishin."

Naruto nodded again as Kakashi threw him a package.

Naruto opened it, to see a pair of Shin guards, both with the Hiraishin focus seal carved onto them.

"Put them on."

Naruto did as he was told. He was surprised at their lightness, and jogged on the spot to test their flexibility.

"Now, I want you to focus on one of the seals, then on the other. Keep doing that, then walk onto the water."

Naruto concentrated for a second, then nodded, and began his walk to the water's edge. There was a strange flickering around his body.

He stepped onto the water, and managed to stay afloat, but there was a constant and rather violent ripple on the water's surface.

Kakashi shrugged.

"It's not stealthy, and your mind will always have an extra task to manage, but as long as the shin guards are above water, you will be too."

Naruto nodded.

"The theory behind it is that you're incorporeal for the second the Hiraishin is in effect, right? So if you keep warping, technically…Ah, I won't bore you…oh, and one more thing. It requires a giant amount of Chakra to maintain. Luckily, you have more than enough. In turn, your chakra reserves will also grow, if you keep using this little technique. Well. I have to oversee Sasuke and Sakura. Take care."

Kakashi then began to walk off. Naruto watched him go, then continued his exercise.

Naruto balanced shakily on the water. His reserves had been depleted, and he felt unbelievably tired. He slowly walked to shore, collapsing as his feet hit solid ground. He promptly dozed off, as the scent of flowers took him into a world of dreams.

Naruto's eyes opened suddenly, as he propelled himself up. He looked around and noted that the sun was shining especially brightly.

"Good Afternoon."

Naruto was startled, as he swiveled his head, noticing a girl standing at the edge of the clearing, picking flowers. He stood and bowed, as she did the same.

"What are you doing so far out here?" asked Naruto.

The girl smiled.

"I could ask you the same thing."

They both began to laugh. Naruto then stopped.

"I'm…uh…training, miss."

The girl grinned politely.

"How interesting. I'm picking flowers and herbs for a friend of mine."

Naruto 'oh'ed, and watched her silently, as she carried on picking flowers and herbs. Suddenly, she spoke.

"Do you have a precious person?"

Naruto looked at her quizzically.

"Do you have a person you'd give your life for in an instant?"

Naruto stared at her as she stood up.

"Until you do…"

She turned around.

"Until you do, no matter how much training you do…You'll never be…truly strong."

She smiled.

"And I'm a boy."

The boy turned, and began to walk into the forest. Naruto gazed at the boy's retreating form, sighed and called out.

"Goodbye, Mister Hunter-nin. I'm sure we'll meet again."

The boy froze for a second, then continued walking. If one had seen his face at that moment, a small smile would have been noticed.

Naruto sighed, and returned to his training.

Naruto was found the next day by Kakashi, sprawled out by the side of the lake. Kakashi sighed, as he slung Naruto's unconscious form onto his shoulder, and walked back to Tsunami's house.

Naruto woke up with a start. How long had he been out? He grabbed his Raijin from his bedside, and stood up. He then walked out into the doorway.

Inari was having a bad day. The retards had left to get killed, and now this. He held back tears as the two thugs pushed him around. Tsunami was on the ground, her head bleeding from a large gash caused by a hit from a katana's handle.

"Heh, stupid kid. So damn...Urk"

Inari opened his eyes, and saw his tormentor on the ground, his head bloodied from extremely heavy impact with the Raijin's hilt.

Naruto twitched as he spun around and roundhouse-kicked the other thug into oblivion, as he staggered back and fell off the small pier, into the water.

Naruto quickly began to attend to Tsunami, bringing her into the house and bandaging her head. Inari could only stand by, as Naruto continued to attend to her bruises.

Soon, Naruto stood up and wiped sweat off his brow. He then looked at Inari.

"Where did they go?"

Inari looked at him with angry eyes.

"They went to the bridge, to get killed by…"

Naruto had already moved into the Living quarters. He emerged in his black battle suit, with his new shin guards braced tightly around his shins. He immediately took a large amount of pills, and swallowed them with a gulp of water.

As he walked out of the door, he stopped for a moment.

"If your country continues to deteriorate like I've heard it is…I'm afraid you're going to die anyway."

Naruto turned around.

"At least if I die, I'll die trying to protect something, even if it's YOUR country."

He turned, and walked out of the door.

Inari stood at his place, then took out a torn picture of a burly looking man. He then sat on a nearby chair.

Meanwhile, at the bridge, Kakashi was busy fending off Zabuza's strikes, pushing them away, and dodging where he could. The thick summoned mists hid Zabuza's surprises, and Kakashi couldn't see very well.

Sasuke wasn't doing too well either. Being trapped in a dome of Mirrors in which your opponent could traverse at impossibly fast speeds was not fun. His opponent, whom Zabuza had previously identified as Haku, prepared to unleash another barrage of senbon. Sasuke cursed. Suddenly, however, a kunai flashed in front of him, lodging itself into the ground.

Naruto appeared with a swiftness that would have amazed even the best of them. He smiled, and tapped his left wrist guard. Suddenly, a large amount of small kunai began to shoot out in different directions. These kunai wouldn't be able to cause any long term damage, but were just large enough for a seal to be carved onto them. Haku immediately released a large amount of senbon, all headed towards the newcomer.

They all missed. Sasuke, who had by then rolled away, saw Naruto's plan. There were mini-kunai all over the place. Naruto could teleport wherever he wanted.

Haku traversed the mirrors, looking for an opening. He looked around for the newcomer, to no avail. Suddenly, Naruto appeared in front of him. Haku gasped, shocked that someone would be able to anticipate his moves.

"Hello, again, Mister hunter-nin."

Naruto smiled, and swung his raijin, shattering the mirror Haku had been in a moment before.

It reformed immediately, as Naruto continued slashing at every missor. Suddenly, though, Haku appeared in a mirror far behind him. The mirror that Sasuke had been standing in front of.

Blood spurted from Sasuke's mouth, as he collapsed on the ground, needles sticking into every part of his body. He cursed, as he lost consciousness.

Naruto quivered, as his mind replayed the scene all over again, multiple times. He reached for his bottle of pills. He removed them, and, as he was about to remove one, a needle shattered the bottle.

"I can't allow you to take soldier pills."

Haku frowned under his mask, as his opponent stood in one place, unmoving. He prepared a multitude of ice needles.

"I am sorry, I am to go and protect Zabuza-sama."

Haku let fly his projectiles, and watched as they hit…nothing.

Haku felt a hand grip his throat, as he was pushed with such force that his missor exploded into a vast amount of shards, and he was pushed out, landing on the ground outside the dome's perimeter.

Naruto's face showed nothing but absolute bliss as he grabbed Haku and threw him into one of his mirrors, rushing after him immediately after, Raijin activated. Haku slammed hard into the ice structure, sliding down to the ground.

Suddenly, he felt a wrenching pain, as electricity coursed through his body, flowing from a stab wound in his lower abdomen.

Naruto smiled, showing his teeth.

"Where's your 'true power' now, girly-man?"

Haku gasped, as the Raijin was withdrawn, then reinserted, into his left shoulder.

"C'MON!"

Haku looked up weakly, to receive a harsh kick to the face.

Suddenly, a great chakra spike was felt from Kakashi's direction. Haku's eyes widened, as he staggered to his feet and attempted to charge at Kakashi's direction.

"Oh no you DON'T!"

Naruto grinned as he grabbed Haku's head, slamming it into the ground so hard that the concrete shattered. Haku cried out as he felt his jaw shatter like fine china under Naruto's harsh treatment.

Naruto picked Haku up, grabbing his lag, and slamming him into the ground, again and again.

Suddenly, however, A figure emerged from Kakashi's direction.

Zabuza let loose a great cry, as he charged at Naruto, a gaping hole present in his stomach.

Naruto smirked, as he used Haku's battered form to smack Zabuza. Zabuza growled, dropping his great sword and rushing at Naruto. Naruto grinned, and tossed Haku aside, keeping his Raijin.

"FISTFIGHT! WHEEE!" cried Naruto, in an excited tone.

Naruto charged at Zabuza, unleashing a great volley of jabs, and ending off with a vicious kick to Zabuza's wound. Zabuza, however, seemingly didn't feel it, punching a grinning Naruto's face, and sending him flying.

Naruto recovered in midair, and bounced off the floor, somersaulting backwards as Zabuza continued his vicious assault. Naruto lay on his back after a few somersaults, kicking Zabuza's chin upwards, as he approached. Naruto then dashed to Zabuza's stomach, unleashing a rapid jab at Zabuza's wound, then roundhouse kicking Zabuza's head.

As Zabuza flew aside, Naruto grinned crazily, activating his raijin and dashing towards Zabuza.

Zabuza unleashed a great roar, charging to certain death…Before…

"RAIKIRI!"

Naruto's grin disappeared, as he felt the lightning infused hand enter his chest.

Kakashi sighed wearily as he jammed another of The Third's given syringes into Naruto's neck.

Naruto growled, and swung the raijin at Kakashi, who moved away swiftly.

"Daaaamn….I wanted to killlllllll…urgh."

Naruto collapsed, as Kakashi watched the grievously injured Zabuza hug Haku's body, crying.

"AAAAHAHAHA"

Kakashi sighed, as a short man come onto the scene, an entire army of thugs standing behind him.

"Now I won't have to pay him. HAHAHA."

The injured Zabuza looked up, growling.

Gatoh merely laughed.

"You can't do anything, now! You and your worthless assistant! That little girly-man couldn't do a…"

He was dead before he could complete his sentence. A kunai attached to Zabuza's arm through his stomach. There was silence, as Gatoh's body fell.

The surrounding thugs all began to shout in anger, and advance upon Zabuza's wounded form. Kakashi walked slowly into their path, an act that didn't deter them one bit. Suddenly, a wooden crossbow bolt flew past Kakashi, hitting a thug. He shook it off, and growled, before he noticed his associates cowering. In front of them was the entire population of the Wave country's main village.

The newcomers growled as they advanced, scaring the bandits so much that many began to flee, and jump into the ocean.

The crowd cheered.

Kakashi sighed, as he noticed Zabuza's broken form crawl towards Haku.

Zabuza laid himself down next to Haku as Kakashi approached.

"H-hey, Kakashi…You…you know…I don't blame the blonde…the blonde kid…I…I guess I'm actually…thankful to him…huh…?...I guess it really…did take His death to open…to open…to open my eyes. I…Wanted to…tell him…to call…Haku…My…Son…."

With that, Zabuza breathed his last, a tear flowing down his cheek, and a smile on his face, his hand on Haku's.

Kakashi bent down and sighed.

He then walked over to Naruto and picked him up.

He headed towards the sound of the villager's cheering.

Tazuna smiled, as Kakashi came into view.

"Inari tells me that Naruto was the one who convinced him to get all of us down here! People! THREE CHEERS FOR NARUTO!"

The crowd cheered, and one man lead the group, as they began a new one.

"THE GREAT NARUTO BRIDGE!"

Kakashi was silent as he laid Naruto down.

He then looked at the sky.

"I wonder…"

Naruto woke up in a hospital bed a week later, in Konoha.

He looked around, and then at his hands.

He fell back onto his pillow, and began to weep.

---

I hope you liked it.

I'm really, really sorry for treating Haku that badly. I don't hate Haku, I kind of like his character, but Naruto Did go crazy, and I couldn't have Psychonaru be understanding and kind… I'm really sorry if anyone finds Haku's treatment offensive.

Thank you for reading.

Thanks to my reviewers for the reviews.

Please direct any criticism, comments or questions to the review box.

Thank you very much!


	7. Chapter Six: Preuve

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and am not making any money out of this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Six:** **Preuve**

'_Flashback'_

Kakashi sat at Naruto's bedside, a two weeks after the Wave incident. Sakura had visited quite a few times, and Sasuke, who was still limping, with her. Naruto had been quiet the whole time, not even reading any of his books, just staring blankly out the window. Kakashi was worried.

"Naruto…do you need anything?"

No response.

"Well…I have a surprise for you."

Naruto didn't even turn to look.

"I've requested for an entry pass for you and your team into the Chuunin exams. I think your performance in the current mission proves that you can at least try to…"

Naruto had, by then turned to face him, with fearful eyes.

"N-No. I can't…It'll happen again…I…can't…I won't…kill…"

Kakashi looked at Naruto sadly.

"You won't, I believe in you…"

Naruto shook his head vigorously.

"No, No, No, NO! You don't understand! I…I…I enjoyed killing that boy! I enjoyed killing the assassins! I'll kill again! I can't control it!"

Tears began to roll down Naruto's cheeks. Kakashi patted his back.

"I understand….I'll leave the recommendation here…If you change your mind."

Naruto wiped the tears away, and fell back onto his bed, looking once again out his window as Kakashi walked slowly out the door.

Sakura frowned. Chuunin exams? She couldn't even do a thing to help Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi wanted her to enter an exam reserved for the most elite of genin? Sakura sighed and looked across the bridge, where Sasuke was sitting. She mulled over the thought of trying for a date again, but dismissed it, knowing what the response would be. Naruto was so much easier to talk to…

Naruto. He hadn't been alright since the big Wave fight. She was worried about him, and it seemed strange, but she felt very comfortable with him, and at least he didn't just respond with minor hand or head movements or annoying 'fehs' or hnhs'…

Sakura sighed again. Maybe it would be better if Naruto didn't come for a while, then maybe they wouldn't be able to enter the Chuunin Exams…

Kakashi's arrival jolted Sakura from her thoughts.

"Well, team. Today's…the deadline for entry into the Chuunin exam…Most of the teams should be at the administration block as we speak…"

Sakura nodded, and Sasuke frowned.

"Why can't we go too?"

Kakashi sighed.

"Three man teams, Sasuke."

Sasuke's frown deepened. Kakashi began to speak again.

"Naruto hasn't been feeling well lately. After the…incident with his…uh…anger management issues."

Kakashi frowned inwardly at himself for the obvious lie.

"So without Naruto, there won't be a Chuunin exam for us?" said Sasuke, with a scowl.

"I'm afraid so…"

Nobody spoke, Kakashi's expression downcast, Sasuke's angry and Sakura's strangely happy…until…

"H-Hey, guys…"

Naruto stepped onto the bridge. He was dressed in a white shirt and long black pants, along with his wrist guards and knee guards, though the latter were hidden under his pants.

Sakura cheered, though she didn't really know how to feel on the inside. Sasuke smirked and Kakashi smiled heartily.

Team seven approached the central administration building, Kakashi trailing behind them. He'd noticed Naruto's behavior had changed since the last time he'd seen him. He seemed jitterier. Kakashi wondered if this would affect his performance during the examinations.

As they stepped inside said building, Kakashi began to speak.

"Well, now. You're on your own here on out. Remember all I've taught you and don't forget to think before you act. Bye."

Kakashi walked off, leaving the three genin alone.

"Well, then. Let's go." Said Sasuke, with barely controlled enthusiasm. Naruto nodded hesitantly, and Sakura sighed.

Team seven walked up a flight of stairs, to see what seemed to be a struggle going on.

A Girl in a pink shirt was on the floor, quivering in what seemed to be fear, as a green uniformed boy with the single most garish haircut and eyebrows lay alongside her, also equally fearful. A long haired boy with white eyes seemed to be conversing fearfully with two tough looking boys in front of a door, as bystanders looked on.

"No can do, kids. I can't allow you wimps in here. Believe me when I say I'm doing you a favor."

Sasuke snorted as the boy turned to look at him.

"You got a problem...Punk?"

Sasuke sneered.

"This is the second floor. Your embarrassingly bad genjutsu is as transparent a glass of water."

"Hello, Kotetsu-san!" said Naruto, waving.

The boy glared at Sasuke for a while, then began to laugh. With a wave to Naruto, he disappeared with his friend in a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke laughed as the two on the floor got up and dusted themselves off.

The boy in green stepped forward.

"You are…Uchiha?"

Sasuke nodded. The green clothed boy's eyes seem to gleam.

"YOOOSH! I have finally found the opponent who will be my eternal rival! MY YOUTHFUL SPRINGTIME WILL SOON COME TRUE!"

There was a deafening silence as Naruto snapped out of his daze, to see the boy in green looking at Sakura.

"Hello, miss. You're pretty. I'm Rock Lee. Will you go out on a date with me?"

Sakura backed away slowly.

"No…"

The newly introduced Lee's eyebrows wriggled.

"BUT WHY, MISS? MY YOUTHFUL SPRINGTIME-erk."

Lee was cut off as the girl in pink began to pull his ear, following the boy with white eyes. She then looked back, smiling.

"Sorry about Lee, and thanks for the…uh…save. Yeah. Bye."

Team seven stared after them, as they disappeared around a corner. Naruto looked thoughtful.

"They didn't need our help." He said, to be met with confused stares, as the bystanders began streaming past them. "The long haired boy…That was Hyuuga Neji."

Sakura gasped as recognition of the name grasped her. Sasuke just looked at him strangely.

"He was the guy who Jyuukened the examiner into the hospital!"

Naruto nodded, as Sasuke pondered.

"Smart move. They wanted to hide their true skill…"

Team seven stood in the corridor for a while, until Sasuke began to move towards the next flight of stairs, eventually followed by an ever-hesitant Naruto and Sakura, whose face displayed silent resignation.

Team seven reached the third floor, where they were met with a single door.

Sasuke promptly pushed it open, and Naruto cringed at the sight that met their eyes.

The entire room was filled with Ninja, all eyeing them, and some staring quite strangely. The ninja sported different headbands, most of which were familiar, such as the Sand's, and the Grass'. Naruto noted a few familiar teams, namely teams eight, all seated on a row of chairs, and team ten, standing in a corner of the room. Lee's team was standing in another corner, furthest from the exit. They seemed to be conversing.

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as Ino began to head their way. Naruto turned to Sakura, to see a wide grin on her face.

"Now who's the better Ninja team, piggy girl?"

Ino froze, her face scrunching up. She turned a pale shade, but quickly returned to normal. Sakura began laughing insanely.

"You rookies should really shut up…"

Team seven, along with Ino, turned around, to see a white haired boy staring somewhat wearily at them.

"Every year I have to deal with you total greenhorns. Bleh."

Sasuke twitched, and Sakura began to mouth protest, before they were both stopped by a small hand gesture from the newcomer.

"Hey, I'm trying to help your miserable hides here."

Naruto squinted, then began to speak.

"Yakushi Kabuto. Genin ranked Konoha Shinobi. Attempted Chuunin exams seven times, all failed. No particular speciality observed. Presumably trained by adoptive father, who was a medic."

Naruto fell silent.

All eyes were on him, as he turned slightly red with embarrassment.

"I did some research on everyone here after getting the attendance list from the Third…"

Kabuto snickered.

"Impressive. Looks like you aren't as green as these other twits."

Kabuto felt hostility directed at him.

"Looks like you won't need any info." Kabuto said, pulling out a pack of cards and shuffling.

Sasuke looked at the pack suspiciously.

"Chakra trace cards." He said, eyeing Kabuto angrily. "You have information about me in there."

Kabuto's face was expressionless.

Suddenly, a hand snatched the cards away. Kabuto growled, turning to face the thief, just in time to see his beloved cards placed above a thin cylindrical object.

"Shinobi rule #34, subsection 2. A Shinobi must be unidentified. Any information known about him…"

There was a deliberate pause as Naruto's Raijin activated.

"…Is a liability."

Kabuto's eyes shone with concealed anger, which dissipated quickly.

"Very smart."

Kabuto smiled, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing Naruto discomfort.

"I think you'll do quite well in this little exam."

Kabuto paused, and looked at the remaining members of his 'audience'.

"Unlike these louts."

He laughed, and began walking away.

Suddenly, a strange bandaged Ninja dashed in front of him, and threw a punch with a heavy-looking gauntlet. Kabuto dodged, somersaulting back.

He smirked, just as his glasses shattered. He placed his palm to him face, gasping. The mystery ninja looked at his crouched form, then at team seven and Ino.

"Laughed too much. Heh."

Kabuto rose, drawing a kunai, one hand over his left eye, just as a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"There'll be NO fighting before the test."

Kabuto turned, to see a massive figure.

The figure stepped into the center of the room.

"You'll get enough of that later."

There was silence, as every pair of eyes in the room fell on him.

"THE CHUUNIN EXAMS START NOW!" he bellowed, in a deafening tone as team seven moved aside, and Kabuto moved towards his team, still nursing his eye.

Naruto glanced nervously around as he spotted Sasuke in the second row and Sakura behind him, on the fifth. He himself was in the middle, the third row. He nervously swallowed a pill as the examiner began.

"I am Morino Ibiki, special operations information retrieval and confirmation department."

His mouth curved ever so slightly.

"To the unenlightened, that means the torture department."

Many eyes widened, as he continued speaking.

"This is the first part of the Chuunin examinations, so listen up. It's a written test. There is an additional tenth question. That question will be given to you in the last fifteen minutes of this examination. The circumstances under which you'll be operating are as so. Cheating will not be condoned, and two marks from your total of ten will be deducted each time you are caught. You only need one mark to progress in this exam. Should your marks fall to zero…"

Ibiki's grin grew into a strange smile.

"You and your ENTIRE team will be disqualified."

Gasps were heard, and there was much worried conversation as Ibiki slammed a nearby table, creating a crater in it, and silencing the entire room. He smiled as he said in the spoke in the softest of tones.

"You may begin now."

Paper was shuffled, and pens were clicked.

Naruto stared at the first question. He hadn't expected a written exam. Prior to leaving for the Wave country mission, he'd attempted to study the past chuunin exams in attempt to decipher the first and second tests. Most Shinobi were rather tight lipped about it, as well. Naruto sighed.

Naruto gazed at the paper, scanning each of the questions, one by one. He raised an eyebrow. This was a difficult exam. Sakura and he would probably be able to get the majority of the questions right, but everyone else would likely not be able to do a single one. And what was it with those Ninja sitting by the windows?

Naruto looked up slowly. Mirrors on the ceiling. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he slowly looked to around. People were cheating! Hyuuga Neji had around his eyes the trademark bulging veins of the Byakugan. So did Hyuuga Hinata. Ino seemed to be readying her Shintenshin, while Sasuke seemed to be faring well. Naruto guessed he had activated the Sharingan. They were all cheating…

Naruto was shocked out of his thoughts when a kunai landed on the table next to him.

"Row three, table 8, get out now. You and your entire team are disqualified." Said one of the chuunin sitting by the windows.

Angry gasps were heard, as they were ushered out of the room.

Naruto continued doing his paper, as more were caught, and sent out. He had noticed numerous attempts at looking at his paper, and, when he was finally done, turned said paper upside-down.

Eventually, Morino Ibiki stepped back into the center of the room. Everyone looked at him.

"It's time for you to learn about the final question. Now, there's a procedure to this. First of all, If you get it right, good for you. If you get it wrong, however, No matter how many points you've garnered so far, You'll fail. And you'll also be unable to join the chuunin exam again."

There was a stunned silence until someone spoke up.

"For the next four months…Till the next one, you mean."

Ibiki laughed.

"No, No…"

His smile returned, only wider.

"Indefinitely."

Gasps were heard, and nervous chatter emerged from the silence. Ibiki slammed an adjacent wall, creating yet another crater. He hastily shook his hand, and looked at the wall.

"I've got to stop doing that…This is obviously coming out of my paycheck…"

He turned back to the crowd and sighed.

"You can choose NOT to accept said question, the result of which would be expulsion from the exam, but no restrictions on your future attendances will be put in place. Additionally, as with add previous procedures, If one man leaves, the rest go too. Now. Those who will leave. Put your hands up."

Silence came over the entire room, broken by the occasional bird.

A hand shot up, and angry whispers were heard. A chuunin proctor ushered three people out. Many hands followed, and it continued, until only a few were left. Among them were teams seven, eight and ten, Neji's team, Kabuto's team and the mysterious bandaged ninja's team.

Naruto looked around nervously, as Ibiki began speaking again.

"Hrrn. Gutsy bunch this year, eh? Well. For those of you who didn't put up your hands…"

Naruto tensed up.

"You all pass!"

A stunned silence fell over the room. Naruto's eye twitched and he put up his hand.

"What was the purpose of this tenth question?"

Ibiki looked at him, then at the rest of the genin.

"In your lives as Ninja, you will understand one thing. Information is a commodity most precious. The easiest way to get information is through interrogation. This is a dire consequence. However, you must NEVER reveal anything. Till death, your allegiance is to your respective village, and till death your allegiance shall remain. "

Ibiki removed his headband, revealing deep wounds and scars, eliciting gasps and squeaks from the crowd.

"Those who left are afraid of dire consequences. They will be the first to reveal your secrets."

Ibiki covered his head again, and was about to begin speaking again, when a large black ball crashed into the room, shattering a window. If unfurled into a banner, which flew in all directions, revealing a purple-haired woman in a jacket. She stared at the silent crowd for a while, eyes roaming to each of them.

"Oh for the love of…" Ibiki mumbled.

She turned to Ibiki.

"TWENTY-SEVEN teams? You're losing your touch, old man."

Ibiki waved it off, and walked slowly away, sighing.

The woman turned back to her still-speechless audience.

"I am Mitarashi Anko, and I'll be chief examiner for the second exam!"

She was greeted with silence. She sighed.

"Meet me at Training ground 47 tomorrow morning at ten sharp."

Nobody moved. Anko rolled her eyes.

"You're dismissed. Go, go, go, go."

Ibiki collected the scripts after the genin had all left.

"All correct?" he mumbled to himself. "Uzumaki Naruto…"

A proctor came up behind him.

"Amazing, eh? I didn't even catch him cheating."

Ibiki looked at the paper again.

"You think he actually managed to answer all of these questions without…Nah."

Chapter six!

Thank you for the kind reviews, and the constructive criticism, and for supporting my story.

I'm sorry it took so long to update. I have been really busy lately, and haven't had time to do much thinking.

I don't know if I'll even put a romance in this. I'm bad at writing soppy stuff and I'll feel embarrassed if it went…y'know, all the way.

Still. Couple ideas will be appreciated.

Q&A

**What triggers Naruto's berserker rages?**

Stress of any sort. If he didn't have the pills, he'd probably have killed Everyone in Konoha by now…

**Will this be Yaoi?**

No. I don't support yaoi. My sincerest apologies to those who are excessively disappointed.

Please continue to ask questions.

Thanks!


	8. Chapter Seven: Disparaître

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not making any money of this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Seven: Disparaître**

Naruto lay on his bed, looking at his ceiling with weary eyes. He sighed deeply, then closed them.

He grabbed the Raijin from his bedside and flipped it a few times. That boy…What was all that talk about precious people? It was remarkable that he was only thinking about it now, more than a week after the young man's gruesome death.

Naruto opened his eyes.

What were precious people, he wondered idly to himself. Were they people he admired? Were his teammates precious to him? Was the Third a precious person? What made people precious? Was it their combat skill? Their Ninjutsu? Was it their wealth?

He'd never seen the term once in any of the books he had read. The young man had mentioned being unable to reach one's true potential without these so-called precious people. Naruto frowned to himself.

The young man had a precious person.

He lost.

Naruto sighed. Maybe these people weren't so precious after all? Maybe the boy was mistaken in his theory.

Then again. The boy had managed to rise from an attack, or, a few attacks, that would've destroyed a jounin quite easily.

Was that the power? Naruto eyed the ceiling once more.

He didn't know what Precious people were.

000

The next morning dawned quickly.

Naruto sat at his dining table, sharpening his older weapons and carving runes onto newer ones.

He hadn't caught much sleep the previous night, and the question he had asked himself still echoed off his mind as he looked out a window at the vermillion sky, illuminated by the rising sun.

He wordlessly put his tools down and rose from his seat, walking slowly towards his fridge.

Upon opening the fridge, Naruto noticed a distinct lack of foodstuff. As a matter of fact, the only thing he had left was a basket of fruits that had been left for him by the third during his latest stay at the hospital.

Naruto shrugged, swiftly snatching an apple, and taking deep bites, while walking back to his table.

He looked thoughtful, as he flipped through the pages of a book lying on his table, next to a few other stacks of literature, all the while eating his apple.

Naruto eventually rose again, and went through his daily hygiene maintenance, after which he emerged from the bathroom dressed in loose black trousers and a white shirt, its shoulders covered by a light armor, and his lower arms fully covered by a hard metallic guard connected to covered black gloves. He was also wearing his lower-leg guards, though they were not visible under his trousers. A large number of pockets were visible on his trousers, and he was wearing a belt attached to three spacious pouches, along with a dangling Raijin.

He tightened the clasps on his arm guards, and made his way out of the room.

000

Naruto reached training area 47 early. He glanced at a pocket watch extracted from one of his pockets.

Nine fifteen, he thought. An hour and fifteen minutes left.

He gazed at the great looming forest in front of him. It seemed extremely dark, even with the sun shining. It was no wonder why they had called it the Forest of Death.

Indeed, Naruto mused, was it not here that the two great sannin, Orochimaru and Jiraiya, faced off against each other? And, was this not also where the Uchiha clan slaughtered the entirety of Konoha's prisoners-of-war after the second war? And, indeed, was it not here, that many died, attempting to stop the rock's entry into Konoha during the war?

So caught up was he in his musing, that Naruto did not notice a figure sneaking up behind him.

"Narutokiiins!"

Suddenly, a hug crushed the back of Naruto's head to something soft.

Naruto struggled to turn around as he heard a voice, and stopped.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…"

Naruto froze, and turned beet-red, as he began to understand where exactly his head was.

The arms released their grip on his neck, as he turned around, still red, to face the purple haired woman grinning at him.

"Hello, Anko-san…"

Anko laughed delightedly, scaring her entourage, which consisted of two chuunin.

"Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san…", said Naruto, bowing, his voice dwarfed by Anko's laughter.

Both chuunin laughed, as Naruto's blush failed to subside.

000

As a few genin began to stream in, Naruto could be noted sitting with Anko and eating dango with her, while the two chuunin behind discussed some matter.

"My widdle Naruto, all grown up, now, and even taking the big, bad chuunin exams!" Anko giggled and poked Naruto's cheek.

Naruto looked at her queerly.

"Aww, all upset that I didn't greet you yesterday? I couldn't, Narutokins! Favoritism is bad for examiners!" Anko began to pinch the unfortunate Naruto's cheeks, all the while laughing as Naruto chewed his dango.

The laughing abruptly and Naruto looked up. A pink haired girl could be seen over the counter, staring at Anko and Naruto.

"Naruto! What's happening here?"

Anko's eyes widened then became slits, as she nudged Naruto.

"You sly dog, you! Got a girlfriend already, huh?"

Anko ignored the blushes of both parties as she turned to Sakura.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm not invading your territory. Naruto and me go way back, yeah, he's like a brother to me, hehe!"

Sakura was red, as she spoke.

"I-I'm not his girlfriend!"

Anko stared.

"OOOH. You must be his teammate. Yeah. Sorry about holding your guy up." Anko pushed a blushing Naruto out of the booth, and threw another packet of dango after him.

Naruto went to stand by Sakura.

"OOOOH. You look so cute together." Anko smiled, cocking her head to the side.

Naruto inched away slowly as Sakura's mouth flapped open in silent protest.

Naruto dragged her slowly away, as Anko laughed heartily.

000

Naruto and Sakura stood in silence as their faces remained red.

Thankfully the silence was broken by Sasuke's timely entrance

Sasuke noticed the silence.

"Why are the both of you so red?"

He was answered by more silence. He shrugged.

000

Anko moved to the center of the area, holding a large stack of forms.

"Alright, runts…And bigger runts. Listen up."

Anko paused.

"Everyone here has to sign these forms."

Murmuring arose from the crowd. Anko smiled.

"Releasing us from responsibility of your deaths."

A great uproar arose, as the forms were passed around.

Naruto calmly signed his name, and Sasuke did the same, while Sakura seemed tense.

Anko looked around, then began to explain the rules of the test.

"Right. Listen here, you louts. Firstly, these forms are not a practical joke. They are real, and agreed upon by every Leader of every village participating in this exam. The threat of death IS there , so get the hell out of here if you value your lives, or those of your teammates, particularly highly…"

Nobody moved.

"As expected. Now, in this exam, there are no prohibitions, thus you are free to use anything you want to. Swords and the like, you can even use summons, for all I care. All you have to do is reach the center of the forest with two official seal-scrolls. Heaven and Earth."

Anko pulled two scrolls out of her jacket, one with a 'Tian", or heaven/sky on it, and a scroll with a 'di' or earth on it.

"Get one of each. Go to the center of the forest. DO NOT open the scrolls, that is all."

Anko nodded, and Kotetsu and Izumo began to go around, passing scrolls to teams. Naruto smiled at them as they approached his team.

"Heyo, Naruto. Be careful out there, alright?" said Kotetsu, as a smiling Izumo passed a 'heaven' scroll to Naruto.

Naruto nodded, as the two proctors walked over to the next team, waving at him as they went.

"How do you know so many people?" asked Sasuke, a quizzical look on his face.

"Yeah, Naruto. You seem to know every Ninja we've met so far. The only people who seem to even mildly dislike you are the villagers." Said Sakura.

Naruto winced, as she uttered the last part, but explained nonetheless.

"I…uh…used to hang around the Third a lot. He, being the Hokage and all, meets with his Ninja on a regular basis. I usually have nothing to do, so I attend them too. I guess they all rubbed off on me…"

Naruto laughed as he finished.

Sakura and Sasuke retained questioning looks on their faces, but dropped the matter anyway.

000

Naruto gulped, as the creaky iron gates closed behind him and his team. He turned, to see a smiling Anko waving at him, with Kotetsu and Izumo behind her, smiling as well.

Naruto smiled back, and turned back, quickly swallowing two pills with a gulp.

With not a rustle in the leaves, team seven was off.

As they traversed the vast treetops, each of their eyes were peeled for opposing teams.

Sakura couldn't help but shiver, as a scream echoed from somewhere.

They traveled from treetop to treetop for some time, before stopping in a clearing, mildly exhausted from the exercise.

"Damn, this place is big." Said Sasuke, pulling out a water bottle.

Naruto laughed lightly.

"257 kilometers, to be exact." He said, watching both of his teammates gawk.

Team seven each positioned themselves on separate logs, sitting in silence.

"Hey, Naruto. How do you know so much stuff?" asked Sakura.

Naruto smiled.

"I read a lot."

"So do I, but you know all these weird facts that normal people shouldn't ."

Naruto grinned.

"Being the Hokage's aide part-time has it's perks."

Sakura oh-ed.

Suddenly, a voice spoke up.

"How touching. The pretty little team bonds and grows together."

A long haired man wearing a straw hat came into view.

Team seven was on guard instantly.

"Don't worry. I'm only here for Sasuke-kun."

Naruto looked at him.

"I knew there was something up with you. Your face seems rubbery…Who are you?"

The newcomer laughed.

"Haha. Very smart, Naruto-kun. As to be expected from HIS son." The Newcomer said, poison dripping from his words.

The newcomer grabbed the side of his face and pulled. Naruto gasped, and his teammates looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"S-rank Konoha criminal, Orochimaru!"

His teammates looked back at the now-identified Orochimaru, eyes wide.

Orochimaru laughed, then looked at them, his pupils becoming small.

Naruto and his teammates froze.

"I…can't move!" cried Sasuke, struggling.

Suddenly, scenes of their own mutilated corpses flashed before team seven's eyes.

Sakura screamed and held her head, as Sasuke began to shake uncontrollably. Naruto was swallowing pills like a crazy man, shaking all the while.

Orochimaru walked to Naruto, and held him up by his neck.

"Where's that pretty little seal…"

Orochimaru lifted Naruto's shirt until just below his chest, where a large spiraling seal was visible.

Orochimaru smiled.

"Gogyo Fuuin!" cried Orochimaru, driving his fingers into Naruto's stomach, eliciting a gasp, and a brief purple glow from the seal, as Naruto was sent hurtling through the deep forest, his last visible look contorted and shocked.

Sakura and Sasuke were too consumed by killer intent to notice Orochimaru's approach.

Orochimaru walked menacingly towards Sakura, grabbing her by the arm and lifting her, watching sadistically as tears flowed freely down her face.

Suddenly, Orochimaru was interrupted by Sasuke, whose outstretched hand held the heaven scroll their team had received at the test's beginning.

"H-H-Here!, leave us alone!" Sasuke stammered, shaking.

Orochimaru swatted the croll to the side and threw a still-whimpering Sakura onto a tree, the force knocking her out.

"Don't you remember what I said, Sasuke-kun? I'm here…for you…"

Orochimaru began to reach for Sasuke, who was backing away.

Suddenly, a deafening roar resounded through the forest. Both Orochimaru and Sasuke looked in the direction in which it had come from, sensing a humongous chakra surge.

The forest was still for a moment.

Suddenly, a red translucent glowing arm exploded out of the forest, grappling on to Orochimaru and propelling him backwards, shattering multiple trees in his wake.

Sasuke could only gasp, as a figure surrounded by a pulsating red aura sped by, collapsing even more trees in his wake.

After a few seconds, Sasuke stood up and vomited into a bush, retrieving his scroll and shakily calling for Sakura.

000

Meanwhile, Orochimaru found himself in a rather dire situation.

He gasped in shock, as a fist landed on his face, followed closely by an incredibly quick jab to his stomach, which doubled him over.

Orochimaru finally came to a stop by a great oak, creating a rather impressive crater.

Orochimaru came to his senses, and looked front.

In front of him was a figure clad in a red Chakra, almost to the point at which he wasn't visible, and the only thing distinguishing him from a man on fire…was, well, nothing. Only a dark silhouette indicated there was even a person in the inferno.

Orochimaru rose, and from his mouth, drew his Kusanagi, a blade of sharpest steel, unbreakable and infallible.

The flame covered figure's head seemed to look up slightly, handling a thin and short pole.

Orochimaru gasped as the Raijin's yellow blade extended, then suddenly exploded in a burst of chakra, as it too, began to surround itself with the red chakra.

The intense chakra flames subsided somewhat, until the figure's face was visible.

Naruto's whisker lines had deepened till they looked like they'd been drawn on by a marker. His clothes were still on him, and his pupils had turned crimson, with the rest of his eye black.

As he walked forward, the grass around him singed and either withered or caught fire, and the fertile ground cracked and hardened, scorched under the intense chakra flames.

He came to a stop twenty feet from Orochimaru.

"You…Will…Die…"

Whee! Cliffhanger! I'm really sorry about this, but what I have planned would have shot this baby up to a really large number of words.

Thank you to all my reviewers for their questions and encouragement.

Please continue to support me!

Please continue to ask questions…or BEGIN asking questions, so that I'll have a Q & A to begin with!

Best wishes.


	9. Chapter Eight: Irrévocabilité

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and am not making any monetary profit from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Eight: Irrévocabilité**

Orochimaru was, as he himself would put it, in deep, deep excrement.

He shifted hastily to the side, as a barrage of chakra extensions pierced the ground in a line, heading for where he was standing. Like the tails of a flaming scorpion they struck, creating deep gouges in the ground, and, undoubtedly death, if they were to hit anything of life and sentience.

The battle had already raged far from where it had started, and the forest they had left behind was bare and dry, some of it burnt to the ground by the flames surrounding Orochimaru's opponent.

Orochimaru hit himself on the head inwardly. How could he, a great, no, the greatest, sannin known to mankind ever even get hit by such an uncouth plebian?

Orochimaru parried a blow from his opponent's flame engulfed lightning sword with his Kusanagi.

He thanked the powers that watched over him that he had decided to bring out his mystical sword early. If he had come to this particular battle with a normal sword, the blade would have conducted the electricity into his body, though it would likely have melted from the flames first.

Orochimaru gasped, as he kicked his opponent's hand away.

He shifted aside, as the flame-engulfed blade sliced clean through a great oak in its trajectory, to have it burst into flames a moment after, burning to ashes in another moment.

Orochimaru frowned. He was on the defensive. Then again. One could only do so much with such a ridiculously fast opponent swiping at him before he had a chance to even attempt hand seals. He had suffered no wounds yet, but he knew that the first one would also be the last.

000

Naruto roared, as his blade bounced off the white steel of the Kusanagi.

He couldn't control himself. He couldn't do anything to restrain this. The red chakra kept leaking out of his skin, burning him even as his phenomenally charged healing factor healed them. He growled, and fell back, to land on a nearby tree, setting it aflame immediately.

Naruto manipulated his chakra appendages, firing them and retracting them, keeping an everlasting flow of rapid strikes, so as to keep Orochimaru off guard as he formed a long series of hand-seals.

"Katon: Karyuudan no jutsu!"

000

Orochimaru barely had the time to look up, as a gigantic dragon made entirely of red flame charged at him, it's mouth wide open as it went forth from Naruto, setting the flora ablaze as it went.

Orochimaru hastily formed a few clumsy hand seals, and hit the floor with their completion.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Rashomon!" cried Orochimaru, his eyes wide, as the gigantic dragon continued its relentless charge, as a huge gate flew from the ground

The flame dragon flew into gate with force so great that the gate was smashed open in a grand explosion, as the dragon burnt up, and into mere embers.

Orochimaru had but half a second, as the chakra tendrils charged at him again, followed closely by Naruto, his blade leveled to his eyes, charging while surrounded by a sphere of blazing chakra.

Luckily for Orochimaru, half a second was all he needed.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" cried he, as a large burst of smoke expanded from his standing position, stopping Naruto dead in his tracks.

000

Naruto's eyes widened slightly as the smoke cleared, revealing a truly gigantic indigo snake.

"Orochimaru, you bastard. Why did you…" the snake began.

It stopped, as two of Naruto's chakra appendages lodged themselves into the snake's underbelly, going straight through and drawing blood. More followed, until it seemed as if the snake was a living pincushion.

A growl was heard as the snake charged, obviously enraged by the pain.

Naruto jumped, until he was just at the snake's eye-line. He held the raijin in a horizontal position.

"Tenken: Hyakuhei no** kuchikukan!" ***

Naruto swung his blade, creating a deep gash in the snake's 'forehead', continuing until he had eviscerated the snake's entire back with deep cuts, a single of which would have chopped a man into half. Naruto then turned, and shouted a single word.

"Kashou!" *

The snake burst into flame, screaming as it's entire body was burnt to a crisp, after which it disappeared.

Naruto looked around, his eyes crimson, as his red chakra transformed the landscape, blazing around him ever stronger as he failed to detect Orochimaru.

"You damned coward!"

Naruto's eyes blazed, as his aura burst, causing a wave that turned the surrounding area to burst into flame, and the area surrounding it to grow parched.

Suddenly, a syringe flew at Naruto.

Naruto turned and glared at the syringe. It burst into a dust as he looked on.

He looked up slightly, looking at it's thrower.

The Third Hokage stepped out from behind a bush.

Large numbers of ANBU and various Ninja followed. Many faces were familiar to Naruto.

Naruto's face softened for a moment, and he began to call out, as the flames began to dissipate. Suddenly, he looked around. He saw hateful looks wherever his eyes went. They all hated him. Hated. Hated. Hated. They all wanted him to die!

Naruto gasped, as his face contorted and he held his head, falling to his knees.

"R…R…Run!" Naruto said, his voice shaky.

Suddenly, his entire body went lax. He remained such for almost a minute. Just then, he got to his feet with a frightening smile. His crimson eyes blazed with a dark, malevolent flame.

"You, puniest of the puny, MORTALS, expect to defeat me? The almighty?"

The Third squinted, as Naruto's chakra flames brightened.

'You are not a God, Naruto."

Naruto stared at him, then laughed again.

"You fool. You wouldn't be able to not Godhood even if it came up and slapped you!"

Naruto's mouth curved into a frown.

"Now you'll all die for wanting me to die." He said quietly.

Naruto disappeared, appearing next to a nearby ANBU.

The ANBU fell in a second, his jugular vein slashed open. More followed, as Naruto carved a path of death, eliminating ANBU at a disastrous rate and seriously wounding others, until he was almost half done, having chopped down ANBU in a relative semicircle. Naruto had just chopped down a shocked Kakashi, when he stopped.

"Hey, why aren't the rest of you…"

Naruto was interrupted, as a white haired man appeared in front of him and struck him in the stomach with a seal.

"Gogyo Kaiin." Said the White haired man.

Naruto's eyes widened, and he looked up, teeth bared, as an ANBU jammed a Needle into his arm, after which, he collapsed into the white-haired man's arms, as he slowly lowered him down.

The third came up behind the man.

'Thank you, Jiraiya."

000

Naruto woke with a start to an eerily familiar scene.

His eyes watered, as he stood up. This room.

Seals covered the entirety of the walls and ceilings, stretching all the way around the room, and leaving only a miniscule spherical space around Naruto's bed.

The door opened, and the Third stepped in, a gentle smile on his face.

"I…I've finally done it, huh?" Naruto said, his voice shaky.

There was a silence.

"Do not worry yourself about it, Naruto. It wasn't your fault."

"What do you mean? I…killed so many! I…"

"Genjutsu."

Naruto's eyes widened, but he let loose a relieved sigh.

"At least they'll be able to visit…" Naruto said, a smile gracing his lips, as tears fell over his face.

The Third seemed puzzled.

"Visit? Why would they need to visit?"

Naruto looked up, an eyebrow arched.

"This is only a temporary affair, Naruto. You'll be released immediately after we're sure your 'other' is safely contained."

The Third smiled, as Naruto smiled as well.

"There'll be a rather painful hitch, though…"

Naruto looked at him strangely.

"You'll have to use…these for medication after this…less times, but it'll be painful." The Third took out a syringe with a colorless liquid in it.

Naruto nodded as the Third turned to leave, before stopping suddenly.

"Oh, by the way. Orochimaru escaped..." The third started, as Naruto's expression hardened. "But for the act of driving him off, and defending your teammate, you and your team have all been granted entry into the Final exam. The final matches have been decided and you can pick them up by the counter when you're released. They'll be held two weeks from now."

Naruto's smile widened.

"Take care." Said the Third, walking out of the room.

Naruto looked on as the door closed. He fell back on his bed, his smile still present on his face.

The smile disappeared as a voice spoke into his head.

"_Hey, How're you doing?"_

000

The Third walked into his office, where the white-haired man stood, looking out of a window.

"Thank you, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya turned around, and smiled at the Third.

"Hey, don't thank me. I was just in the area."

The Third laughed as Jiraiya began speaking again.

"So. How's Naruto doing?"

The Third smiled.

"He's fine. The post-sealing trauma seems to have disappeared…"

Jiraiya nodded sagely.

"What happened to him?"

The Third sighed.

"When he was…released…from the sealed room for the first time, two years ago…I placed a Gogyo Fuuin on him to ensure that he wouldn't be able to draw upon the Kyuubi's chakra, even when his more vicious persona was in control. It worked, and, remarkably, all the chakra he drew on for his techniques was his own. Now, from what I can envision, and as you observed, Orochimaru placed yet another Gogyo Fuuin on that seal."

Jiraiya nodded.

"Now, as you know, the Gogyo Fuuin interferes with the Shiki Fuujin because, as an odd numbered seal, it somehow neutralizes, or voids, the power of the basic even numbered seal on which it is placed. Now, as I've mentioned, another Gogyo Fuuin was placed on Naruto. Five plus Five equals Ten, and Ten is an even number, therefore releasing the Kyuubi's chakra.

Jiraiya's eyes widened.

"A strange little side effect I hadn't expected was the power of the Kyuubi's chakra multiplying tenfold because of the double- seal."

Jiraiya almost fell over as the Third's face turned serious.

"I know the Shiki Fuujin will be able to take the extensive modifications…But there might be some consequences we haven't thought about, or even know about…." Finished the Third, lighting his pipe.

Jiraiya could only nod, as the two great ninja pondered on the ramifications of the events prior.

000

Naruto was having a ball of a time attempting to converse with the 'voice' in his head.

"Um…"

"_Konoha Kunoichi are really cute, don't you think."_

"Uh…"

"_I mean, damn, you twit. Sakura."_

"I..uh…"

"_I'd like a piece of THAT."_

"Err…"

"_Rowr."_

"Um…Excuse me…Who…"

"_Hot damn, I wouldn't be able to last a minute without biting THAT piece of…"_

"Who are you?"

"_Huh? How to explain this to you…"_

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"_I'm you."_

"…"

"…"

"What?"

"_I am you. Only a different you. Like a mirror you. Your Evil twin, if you like. I could go on and on about the Freudian nature of my establishment in the subconscious and consciousness in your mind, but I'll spare you."_

Naruto shook his head.

"You mean YOU'RE the guy who…likes to…" Naruto stared, his voice quivering.

"_What? Do you expect me to finish your sentence for you, thereby creating a suspenseful scene and adhering to a cliché so boring that it's been reused a billion times in literature the world over?"_

Naruto was silent.

"You…enjoy killing…"

"_Yes, well. It's the only break I get out of lazing around in the pool of repressed aggression lying in the back of your head."_

"This is not a joke! You enjoy taking people's lives! You're a cold blooded killer! You…"

"_Correction. You."_

"What?"

"_Clueless twit. I AM you. If I'm a cold blooded killer, then you are too. I am the Id to you, the super-ego. We are both parts of a repressed individual, only I exist naturally, and you exist through medication and disgustingly controlled desire."_

"You…"

"_Don't you remember, you clueless girly-man? That incident with the big red eyes."_

"I…"

"_Your psychological spectrum was overturned, you great huge mental case."_

"…"

"_I know you've read about this crap. I can see it in here. Right. You know the iceberg diagram, right? the super-ego and the ego are naturally on the top, providing you with your basic moral spectrum."_

"…"

"_That incident caused your entire psyche to do a flip. Now the Id and the super-ego are on the top, the ego, that is, the mediator between them, is in your subconscious, sleeping like a baby. Now the Id and the super-ego are vying for 'control' of your body mind."_

"…"

"_You may be wondering why I'm on top and you, the super-ego, need to be encouraged to emerge. No, it's not because you're a bad little naughty boy, no, it's not because you catch yourself taking little looks at Sakura's behind."_

Naruto began to protest, but quickly realized who he was 'speaking' to, and silenced himself."

"_A normal person would actually be afflicted, so to say, with multiple personality disorder. That is, have two personalities evenly matched, and, therefore, vying for control, making a great big mess out of your social graces."_

"…"

"_You, however, have so damn many repressed emotions from your childhood, the villagers treating you like crap, the adults trying to kill you, the children destroying your self-confidence, etcetera, that your Id, formed of repressed feelings of aggression, has become stronger."_

"…"

"_Technically, you aren't actually even a full super-ego in the first place. You haven't had the time to absorb enough good emotions from…Anyone, really. Now, if you were a full one, you'd be a blustering chivalrous knight guy with a huge ego. You're more like Jekyll to Hyde. Hell, you've even got desires of your own. I wonder what a psychoanalyst would make of this…"_

"…"

"_Aheh. So, anyway. There you have it. All the reasons why you're so unbelievably messed up in the head." The voice said, and Naruto felt what vaguely seemed like a nonchalant wave._

Naruto could only stay silent.

"…"

"…"

"How did you manage to…communicate with me?"

"_The trauma of the Kyuubi's chakra overriding your mental blocks. Trying to change the subject are we? Aheh."_

"…"

"_So, how does it feel, I wonder, to find out that you're a lesser figment of a twisted child's innermost psyche?"_

There was complete silence for a moment.

"It is…confusing."

Naruto flinched as a the voice in his head laughed.

"_Don't you worry yourself too much. I don't think I'll be able to talk to you at all. You'll be spared my 'torture'. Aheh."_

"…"

"_Side note here. Your chakra control's probably going to have improved. That Gogyo Kaiin destroyed Orochimaru's seal, AND chipped off a bit of the old fogey's one, too."_

"…"

"_Not enough to do crap like a rasengan, and likely not enough even to be able to walk on water without your pads, but you'll probably be able to do a basic bunshin without it blowing up in your face any more."_

"Rasengan…?"

"…_forget it. I think my time in your head's a running out. That stupid seal of yours is fixing itself."_

"Don't kill anyone next time you come out!"

"_Shut the hell up, you great huge hairy…"_

Naruto stared at the ceiling as the other voice seemingly dissipated.

He didn't stop, all the while thinking as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

000

Naruto walked out of the Hokage building two days after his 'conversation'.

In front of him was the white-haired man.

"Hey, Naruto. Long time no see."

"Jiraiya-san! Nice to see you again!" said Naruto, smiling.

Jiraiya grinned. It had been a long time.

"Hey, since I'm already here, I might as well get you ready for the exams, right? I mean, you haven't prepared much, have you?"

Naruto nodded, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Well, let's get moving! We can reminisce about old times on the way!"

Naruto nodded, and looking nervously up into the sky, began to follow Jiraiya.

'Tenken: Hyakuhei no** kuchikukan' means 'Heaven Sword: All evils destroyer' or 'Heaven sword: hundred-evils destroyer'**

**'Kashou' means explode…**

Heya, guys! Thanks so much for the reviews!

I hope my explanation of Naruto's psychological status doesn't scare you. If you haven't read or don't know about the stuff I mentioned, look it up on Wikipedia! Additionally, to those who DO know what I'm talking about, please don't kill me because of gross inaccuracies! My only guide was wikipedia and I modified it to fit with the story.

Q & A!

**French titles! What do they mean?**

This chapter's title means Finality.

Prologue- Imprisonment

Chapter one- Silence

Chapter two- Interest

Chapter three- Unleash

Chapter four- Light

Chapter five- Desperation

Chapter Six- Proof

Chapter Seven- Disappear

**Kyuubi? What happened?**

I hope that most questions have been answered, and questions about the Kyuubi will be answered in due time.

**Will _ die?**

Wait for further chapters! All answers will be revealed!

**Is Psychonaru Kyuubi enhanced?**

No. he is not. He also isn't the Kyuubi itself, as explained in this chapter. He also couldn't draw upon the Kyuubi's power, therefore, all the power you've been seeing is Naruto's own. Yes, gasp. Hahaha.

000

Also, if anyone can speak/communicate/translate Japanese fluently, I might need your help for some of the more important invented techniques. Please leave your e-mail with a review/PM if you're interested.


	10. Chapter Nine: Amitié

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or any associated trademarks, neither am I making any profit from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Nine: Amitié**

Naruto and his white-haired companion walked through the dense forest that made up Konoha's outskirts. Naruto's eyes were glued to the sheet of paper he held in his hands as Jiraiya talked about various things to no particular person.

Naruto's eyes came to rest on a tournament divider, showing each individual competitor and the so-called lane they would take into victory of the competition.

"I'll be facing off against…" Naruto mumbled, catching Jiraiya's attention. "Hyuuga Neji."

Jiraiya nodded his head, his eyes closed and an eyebrow arched.

"He's famous as last year's top ranking pupil and number-one rookie. He's also, like every other Hyuuga, stuck up and a steadfast narcissist, from what I've heard."

Naruto folded the paper up neatly and calmly slotted it into a pocket in his white trousers.

"The Hyuuga are known as mainly dependant on their specialized taijutsu, the 'Gentle Fist', or Jyuuken." Naruto began.

Jiraiya nodded sagely as Naruto continued.

"Would it be wise to concentrate on long ranged tactics using Shuriken?"

"No. I've fought a few Hyuuga and I know from experience that they'll chew long ranged specialists up and spit them out." Said Jiraiya.

"Because of the 'Hakkesho Kaiten', right? I thought so. I won't be able to use any elemental techniques, either, because of my chakra control…hmmm…"

Jiraiya sighed.

"A Hyuuga's going to be your worst enemy at your current condition."

Naruto nodded, his eyes closed.

"I could always use their famed overconfidence against them."

Jiraiya smiled.

"Heh. Yeah."

Naruto suddenly looked over to Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya-san, I need you to look over something I attempted while in the sealed room. I had a lot of free time, and I'd read a lot about seals and how they function…"

Jiraiya gasped as Naruto unclasped and removed his lower-arm guard to reveal an extremely intricate web of seals that were seemingly painted on in blood.

"That's Kuchiyose no jutsu… Are you expecting to use THAT in the exam?"

Naruto replaced the arm-guard.

"Well, no…I just wanted to check if the seals wre in the right places."

Jiraiya sighed.

"I can't help you with that. You have a different contract from mine, so I don't know the seal make up that would be most accurate for you."

Naruto nodded.

"I don't think it'd be very useful, especially since the falcon wouldn't have full flight range. But that wasn't the only trick I've picked up."

Jiraiya rested his chin on his thumb.

"You remember that I've learned the Hiraishin, right?"

Jiraiya nodded.

"Well, now, I've honed it a bit, until I can do this!" Naruto said, as he backtracked a number of steps.

Naruto stopped about twenty feet away from his previous position. He disappeared suddenly and reappeared instantly once again, next to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya gasped. Naruto had managed to perfect the usage of the Hiraishin! He was almost as proficient at its usage as it's inventor!

"So, what do you think I can learn that doesn't require any chakra control at all?"

Jiraiya mulled the question over for a while.

"I've learned, over my years of travel…an art of Taijutsu that is usually used by the Toad summons. It requires little to no Chakra control and is relatively easy to pick up. It's a mixture of hand-to-hand combat and swordplay, though the former is used less frequently. I've discovered various ways to adapt the style for use by humans, and I think you'd greatly benefit from it."

Naruto grinned.

"However…You won't be using that sword." Jiraiya said, pointing to the Raijin strapped to Naruto's belt.

Naruto looked at Jiraiya strangely.

Jiraiya pulled a scroll out of his pocket and unfurled it, biting his finger to draw blood and running it across the parchment. With a 'poof', two moderately long Katana swords fell into his hands. He held them out to Naruto.

Naruto glanced sadly at his Raijin sword and reached out, taking the two swords from Jiraiya. His hand immediately fell to the ground, and the swords smacked into the ground with a dull but loud 'thud'.

"They're heavy…It's really the basis of the style…hehehe." Jiraiya chuckled, as Naruto struggled to lift each weapon in individual hands.

Naruto sighed.

000

Naruto collapsed wearily onto his couch. It had been the third night since his training had begun and he was still worn out at the end of each day. The swords, as he had discovered, were made of a very heavy metal, in order to provide the proper leverage for the techniques practiced in the style he was learning. They were also significantly wider than normal swords, a fact that he had not noticed when he had first seen them.

Naruto stretched out, and swung his head left and right, hearing satisfying 'cracks' at either side. He immediately reached to the side of the couch and pulled out a rather hefty scroll.

He unfurled it and began to read, his eyes scanning through the long lines of text, occasionally punctuated by the odd picture of a symbol or marking.

Naruto looked up suddenly as knocks were heard from his door.

He stood up and placed the scroll to back onto the small table from which it had been taken, and walked to the door, wincing slightly as a strained muscle not fully healed caused pain to shoot up his leg.

He opened the door.

"Sakura-san!" He said in surprise, as the pink haired girl in front of him looked up at his face.

]

"N-Naruto! Hi! You're back! I…heard you'd been discharged and…and…" She stuttered, and blushed as Naruto looked at her, confused.

There was a silence.

"Oh, how rude of me. Please, Sakura-san, come in." Naruto finally said, with a dazzling smile, despite his aching body.

Sakura smiled back at him, and stepped through the door.

"Naruto…uh…this is for you." She said suddenly, holding out a fruit basket.

Naruto took it from her hands and walked into his kitchen to place it somewhere.

The first thing Sakura had noticed was the neatness prevalent in the room. It was positively spotless, and everything was in its rightful place, the scrolls were all placed neatly onto labeled scroll-racks, the books were placed in alphabetical order on labeled shelves, and what an amount of shelves indeed! The walls of the living area, even the ones below the windows, had all been made into shelving space for books and the like.

Sakura noted two couches around a lacquered wood table and promptly sat herself down on one of them, all the while admiring the orderliness present in the space she was in.

Naruto soon walked in carrying a small tray with a teapot and two bamboo cups placed neatly on top of it. He placed it down on the lacquered table and poured some green tea into both cups.

"So, how have you been, Sakura-san?" Naruto asked cheerily as he calmly sipped his tea.

"I'm alright. I was in the hospital for therapy for a little while, but it was nothing serious. I heard you were put into some treatment for something. What happened?"

Naruto tensed a bit at the question and the statement preceding it.

"Well…it was really nothing serious. Just a…bit of trauma…Do you remember anything after Orochimaru?"

Sakura shuddered a bit at the mention of the Sannin.

"I…fell unconscious after he threw me into something and woke up in the hospital. I'd guess that Sasuke-kun helped bring me there."

Naruto nodded.

"Speaking of Sasuke, How is he?"

Sakura smiled a bit.

"He turned out almost woundless, though he had to attend the same therapy as the one I attended."

She paused.

"He also wanted me to thank you for getting us the chance to fight in the final round."

"…How did I help in getting us into the final round again?" said Naruto, a confused look on his face.

Sakura giggled.

"Oh, you. You got a scroll all by yourself and gave it to the examiners soon after Sasuke and I arrived, then you collapsed!" Sakura said, a smile on her lips.

There was a short silence.

"Must have been a decoy or something…" thought he, as he immediately smiled again.

"Ahaha. That's right. I must be having amnesia! Hehe" Naruto said, sipping again from his cup.

They sat in silence for a while, Naruto pondering the circumstances and Sakura simply enjoying her tea.

Suddenly, Sakura sighed dejectedly.

"I've been training nonstop with Kakashi-sensei's friend Kurenai…It's tiring."

Naruto smiled.

"I'm sure you'll be able to make it through. You'll be a force to be reckoned with for sure during the matches!"

Naruto paused for a moment.

"Why can't Kakashi teach you himself?"

Sakura sighed again.

"He's training Sasuke up in the mountains." She said, sipping on her cup.

Naruto nodded, thanking his lucky stars for Jiraiya's help.

000

Soon, Sakura had to go, and finishing one final cup of tea, she soon found herself standing up to leave. They had talked about many things, form how to brew green tea to her worries on the chuunin exam.

Sakura was pleased to have someone willing to listen to her, and Naruto was simply pleased to have someone to talk to.

"Bye, thanks for the tea!" she said, turning around.

She walked out of Naruto's door, unknowingly giving Naruto a full view of her behind as she went.

Naruto blushed profusely, remembering his 'other's words, and hitting himself inwardly for a long time afterwards.

He could have sworn he heard a soft laughter echoing from the back of his head as he slept that night.

000

Naruto found himself at training field thirty-two with Jiraiya the following morning. Jiraiya had set up various wooden blocks around the area, with many more stacked up near there.

"I'm going to teach you one of the Toads' Trademark attacks."

Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's swords, drawing them and approaching a wooden block. Naruto noted that Jiraiya seemed to wearing different shin guards.

Suddenly, Jiraiya jumped high into the air, holding the swords aloft as he began to descend over the wooden block.

"Gama-Kata: Yatai Kuzushi!" He cried, as the retardation of his downward acceleration began to increase rapidly.

Just as he was about to reach the wooden blocks, he swung the swords in a wide downward arc.

Naruto shielded his eyes as a humungous cloud of dirt and dust appeared where the wooden block had been.

As the dust cleared, Jiraiya could be seen standing in an impressive crater, with two extremely deep gash marks on the ground under him. The block of wood had been reduced to nothing more than splinters.

Jiraiya turned and smiled.

"Your turn."

000

The shin guards, as Naruto had learned, were chakra-seal weighted, that is, imbued with the ability to suddenly increase in weight. They also didn't need any chakra control, just a bit of chakra pumped into them would activate them and send them to the specified weight.

Naruto was already formulating plans for the technique's use with the Hiraishin…

000

Naruto sighed, as he found himself walking a familiar road. The path back home was always deserted. His home was, after all, located in a somewhat run-down district of the otherwise beautiful village.

He understood that it was not out of spite or hatred that the Hokage placed him in such an unimpressive locale, but out of the desire to make his living place inconspicuous, after all, noone would be interested in attacking the Nine-tailed brat if they knew that he was living in such a disgustingly run-down place, probably content with the fact that he was obviously rotting in his decrepit cesspool of a home.

Despite the locale, the Hokage had secretly renovated Naruto's flat to the point of it being impressive, in terms of looks on the inside, and general practicality. The landlord had, also luckily been sympathetic to Naruto's case, and provided regular maintenance, an act that was heavily appreciated by Naruto.

Naruto looked around, taking in his environs. There wasn't a single person in sight. Though that was to be expected, from such an area. Nobody with half a brain would open any sort of respectable establishment within five hundred meters of this area, for fear of having to pay protection money, or the like.

What those people didn't know was that the ruffians had since moved off after many years of not having any businesses to raid, and this was actually one of the safer, albeit dingy areas in Konoha.

The thought made Naruto snicker. Reverse psychology was such a fun topic.

000

Naruto walked slowly to his door. He could have Hiraishin-ed back, he thought to himself.

Naruto shrugged as he walked into his house and closed the door behind him.

He walked into his bathroom and prepared himself for bed, walking out shortly after and collapsing onto said bed.

He lay in silence for a long while, until he slowly turned over and began to look at the ceiling.

"I still haven't answered that question…" he said aloud.

Naruto couldn't understand some things. Now he had to add one more thing to that list.

The concept of precious people.

After all, if Naruto couldn't decipher its meaning after so long a time, then who could?

000

The time had come. The training had been rigorous, but he had mastered the fundamentals of the Gama-kata.

He had been training for a mere two weeks, but he had picked the training up at a remarkable rate, and was probably ready for anything a pompous Hyuuga could toss.

Naruto and Jiraiya sat in a small ramen booth at the side of the road, a day before the chuunin exam final round.

"miso ramen for me and the runt, please!" shouted Jiraiya.

Naruto looked around at the booth's décor. It was rather plain, and the only thing resembling identification was a small sign up front with the words 'Ichiraku Ramen' painter on the front.

He sighed. Ramen wasn't his favorite dish…actually, it was somewhere at the bottom. It was unhealthy, had no vitamins to speak of and tasted like what it was supposed to be: fast food.

Jiraiya liked it, it seemed.

"Naruto, you have to learn to indulge yourself now and then." Said Jiraiya in a happy tone.

Naruto shrugged and pulled his bamboo chopsticks apart as his ramen arrived. The girl who had brought it had a pleasant smile on her face, something that was rather alien to Naruto.

"You're new here." She said, leaning on the counter next to Naruto as he began to slowly stir his ramen, to mix the various ingredients in.

Naruto turned to her, and nodded slightly, anticipating some sort of cynical insult or pained mention of a dead family member.

"I like you. You're cute." The girl said suddenly, almost making Naruto drop his chopsticks.

Naruto looked at her in stunned silence as Jiraiya slurped loudly at his ramen, seemingly oblivious to the events at hand.

It wasn't so much the declaration of affection that so shook Naruto, but the fact that she was actually talking to him civilly, and without profuse usage of four-lettered words.

Now, one must understand that while Naruto is treated with respect and friendship by Konoha's active ninja population (Or those he's met, anyway), the civilian populace was generally unable to fathom how deep Naruto's story went, and usually stopped at 'hey, he's the Kyuubi vessel', and, therefore, treated him with annoyance or general animosity.

But now was when the previously mentioned declaration of affection jumped up and bit Naruto.

He blushed profusely as the serving girl laughed and went off.

Naruto shakily returned to his ramen, and began to eat it rather hesitantly.

Suddenly, he got nudged in the side.

"Hehehe, got a girl on you already, eh? What a charmer!" said Jiraiya cheekily.

Naruto blushed slightly, and went back to his ramen once again.

As they left, Naruto turned back and smiled, as the owner of the store and his daughter waved at him and Jiraiya.

Perhaps it was alright to indulge sometimes…

000

Naruto got up from bed the next day and dressed himself in his white shirt and black moderately loose trousers. It was the day of reckoning, he thought, as he slowly strapped on all of his equipment, until he got to his swords.

He lifted them with some effort, and strapped them both on his back, to form a rough 'X' formation with the scabbards crossing over each other, the handles of the weapons themselves visible behind Naruto's shoulders. He prepared bundles of runed kunai and placed them into his waist-pouches, along with other things. He hesitantly placed two syringes into the pouch, both wrapped in a shock-absorbing foam material.

He grabbed three apples and headed out of the door. He wanted to scope out the stadium ground for himself. This was the first day he would be able to see it, as it had been closed for modifications on the general landscape, and to prevent said scoping.

Naruto smiled, as he felt the familiar metallic coldness of his Raijin hanging from his side. He wouldn't be able to use the 'Tenken' style, but it would probably be a better weapon than a kunai.

000

Naruto entered the stadium and headed up to the competitors corner. Only two people were there. A red-headed sand-ninja and one of the Leaf ninja from his year, Shika-something, he recalled.

Naruto nodded in acknowledgement of their presences, and his former classmate returned it. The red-head, however, did not.

"How rude…" thought Naruto as he glanced up at who would be fighting first.

He cursed as he saw his own name and the name of his competitor.

He sighed resignedly and walked over to the viewing gap, surveying the area and making plans.

000

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Combined-affiliation Chuunin examination Final round!" cried the announcer, as wild cheers arose from the crowds gathered.

The Third Hokage and the current Kazekage were seated on a box seat with guards of their individual villages surrounding them.

Naruto looked around him and noted that Sakura had just entered. With a friendly smile and a polite nod, she went to speak with one of the proctors. Naruto noticed Hyuuga Neji sitting calmly in a dim corner, his arms folded and looking out the window.

Naruto found himself wondering about Sasuke's whereabouts, to fall upon the conclusion that Kakashi knew what was best.

He shot back to attention as he heard the Announcer mention his name, along with his opponents, and was soon ushered out by a nearby chuunin proctor.

He looked back a bit, and saw Sakura flashing him a 'good luck' smile, which he promptly returned.

000

Naruto entered the field to near complete silence. He looked around and was disheartened at the looks some of the audience were giving him.

He promptly shook it off and looked at the exam referee.

His face brightened, and he almost waved at his friend, but the man, Shiranui Genma, gave a prompt 'no' wave, and Naruto backed down, understanding.

He listened intently as Genma explained the rules, though he had already reviewed them multiple times.

The two competitors took their positions at opposite sides of the field.

Suddenly, Naruto pulled a syringe out of his pouch and stick it rather violently into his neck, eliciting gasps of shock and an incredulous look from his opponent.

Naruto felt the serum leak into his system and shook his head.

Genma nodded at him, and he nodded back.

"You may begin!"

Naruto dashed into action and threw a kunai above his opponent's head.

Hyuuga Neji smirked, but seemed on guard at the 'failed attempt', when Naruto suddenly disappeared.

Thank you for your reviews! Sorry for the cliffhanger!

Please leave suggestions and/or requests/questions and I'll do my best to answer them!

**Q & A**

**Is the toad style canon?**

No…

**Do you still need a translator?**

YES! Please help!

**Why have we not seen Naruto's syringes before this?**

He has to use them less often now, so you don't see him sticking himself as often as he popped the pills. It really lasts longer. He does it offscreen.

**Why did so-and-so do s-and-so?**

All questions will be answered later in the story.

000

To the rest of you, thank you and good night!


	11. Chapter Ten: Cécité

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and am not earning anything from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Ten: Cécité**

"_You may begin!" _

_Naruto dashed into action and threw a kunai above his opponent's head._

_Hyuuga Neji smirked, but seemed on guard at the 'failed attempt', when Naruto suddenly disappeared._

Neji's pale eyes scanned the immediate perimeter to no avail, before coming to a worrying conclusion.

Neji suddenly leapt aside, a split second before a deafening explosion was heard from his previous position, followed immediately by a huge plume of upswept dust.

Neji looked at the dust-plume with a frown on his face, and muttered a single phrase.

"Byakugan."

The veins around Neji's eyes suddenly bulged, an indication of the famed Hyuuga bloodline, the 'white eye', or Byakugan.

The figure present in said plume seemed motionless, slowly becoming visible as the dust cleared.

Neji gawked at the crater his opponent was standing in, as most people would, when such a feat of ridiculous strength is placed before your eyes.

Suddenly, Naruto rushed at Neji, swiping at him violently with his sword. Neji back flipped, narrowly dodging the impressively fast swing, and landing deftly on an arena wall, his chakra sticking him to it immediately.

He quickly dashed at Naruto, his Jyuuken at the ready, only to have Naruto suddenly disappear again.

Neji threw a kunai up, expecting another dive-bomb, only to have it sail harmlessly away. Neji growled, embarrassed at having made a fool of himself.

Naruto reappeared suddenly a few feet away from his intended landing point, a spherical ball with explosive tags held in his hand.

Neji began to spin as soon as he landed, and Naruto smiled slyly, tossing the ball in a rather weak trajectory at the newly forming chakra-dome.

The ball detonated rather anticlimactically, almost no more than a puff of smoke and a glimpse of flame, but many small shuriken spilled out from the sphere's ruptured shell, forming an impressive display as they ricocheted off Neji's Kaiten, scattering all over the battlefield.

Neji stopped spinning and smirked.

"Do you seriously expect that pathetic display to allow you to…" he started, stopping, irritated as Naruto suddenly disappeared again.

Neji hastily dodged aside, as Naruto appeared behind him, somersaulting again when Naruto appeared near his intended landing point.

Naruto flickered from various points, reappearing suddenly near Neji and swinging his blade, keeping Neji on his toes.

Suddenly, Neji stopped in the middle of the battlefield. Naruto appeared quickly next to him, but frowned as he saw Neji's grin.

"Enough of this. You're in my Hakke." Neji muttered, readying himself for the Hyuuga clan's ultimate combat technique to cheers in the crowd.

He struck extremely fast, his fingers moving at a speed almost invisible to the naked eye, connecting a few times but failing to do so immediately after.

Neji gasped furiously, as Naruto suddenly reappeared behind him and stuck his swords into the ground.

Neji turned around and began to charge, only to be met by a heavy kick to the face, propelled by Naruto's leverage and push on his two grounded swords, not to mention the weights in his boots.

Neji flew back into a wall, holding his nose in anger. It was bleeding rather profusely, along with the rest of his presumably broken face.

"Y-Y-you!" he muttered, staggering to his feet rather shakily.

Neji's palm rushed towards Naruto, who disappeared and reappeared next to Neji, using his leverage to throw him into the dust.

Neji leapt to his feet and charged once again at Naruto, who disappeared and appeared a little ahead of Neji, his fist held out in a relaxed pose.

Neji stopped just in time, only to have his jaw bashed in by a snap kick from below, as members of the audience winced.

Naruto then moved swiftly into an uppercut, kicking off Neji's chest, landing deftly on his feet as Neji landed roughly on his back.

Neji once again struggled to his feet.

"it…It's my destiny to win! You're…"

Naruto suddenly appeared next to him and gave him a sock to his stomach, doubling him over as Naruto kneed him in the chest, bringing him to his knees.

Neji suddenly sprang to his feet, his Hakke field expanding from his feet.

He struck, seemingly hitting Naruto, only to hit nothing as soon as the next his arrived. Neji growled again and rolled to the side, cursing as Naruto appeared behind him and kicked him roughly between his shoulder-blades.

Neji rolled aside again and sprang to his feet again. He dashed towards Naruto, a palm outstretched.

Naruto sighed and threw him aside again, garnering 'boos' from the crowd. Naruto sighed even further.

"We could go on like this forever…"

Neji growled again and sprang forward, to stop suddenly as Naruto held his raijin sword up to the Hyuuga's neck with his right hand.

"Or could we?" muttered Naruto.

Neji angrily drew back, but dashed forward again, two kunai in his hands. Cries of encouragement could be heard from various areas of the crowd.

Suddenly, a pressure from his leg pulled him back and he found his face in the dirt, the blood on his face oozing onto the ground. He turned roughly and saw Naruto holding onto his leg.

Kicking out, Neji stumbled again to his feet. He thrust his palm forward again, and, in turn, was thrown.

Neji once again staggered to his feet, to the gasps of the audience.

"I…must…prove…" he muttered through swollen lips.

Naruto suddenly appeared a few meters away from Neji. He held only one of his swords, in a reverse stance.

"Gama-Kata: Gama Dosuzan!" Naruto cried, dashing forward.

The blunt end of his weapon caught Neji at his chest, dragging him forward until it hit an arena wall, forming a large crater and presumably breaking something or another, inside the Hyuuga or otherwise.

Naruto silently stumbled backwards, sheathing his sword in its scabbard. Some noticed his hands suddenly going mysteriously limp and settling at his sides.

He walked quietly away from the crater as Neji's limp form was seen sliding slowly down.

"Winner is…" began Genma.

"W-Wait…" muttered Neji shakily, as he staggered once again to his feet.

Genma nodded, and motioned for them to continue.

A cry of frustration could be heard from Naruto's end.

Naruto and Neji once again stood at the center of the arena.

Suddenly, Naruto cried out.

"OW! My arms! I think his Jyuuken got me! Hot damn, they hurt!" he screamed, much to the confusion of the crowd and Neji.

Genma walked towards him, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm giving up! My pain tolerance has been breached! Gaaah!" cried Naruto, his arms seemingly hanging limp.

Genma shook his head at the obviously exaggerated performance. Neji simply growled.

"I don't need your PITY!" he yelled.

Genma shook his head, as he examined Naruto's arms.

"They really are Jyuuken hits here." He muttered.

Neji's eyes widened as Genma stood and began to speak.

"Because competitor Uzumaki Naruto has forfeited his match, the winner by default is Hyuuga Neji!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as Neji stood there speechless.

Naruto smiled warmly at him.

"Hmm. Hitting a ninja who knows the Hiraishin technique…You've proven more than you think, Hyuuga. Good job." He said, making his way out of the arena with Genma's help and leaving Neji at the center of the arena to think about his words.

000

Naruto entered the 'waiting room' soon after, to the stares of the assembled candidates. He pushed his way past them and settled in a seat facing the window. He was soon joined by Sakura.

"So, what happened?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her and smiled a strange smile.

"Nothing."

They left it that.

000

The next match arrived soon after. Naruto watched as Aburame Shino and an unknown sand ninja entered the arena.

"Now, on to the second match of the competition! We have with us Aburame Shino of the prestigious Aburame family of Konoha!" he said, as cheers erupted from the Konoha supporters in the audience.

"His opponent, the son of the mighty Yondaime Kazekage, Kankuro!" cheers once again erupted, albeit on a smaller scale.

Naruto watched lazily as Genma talked to them and explained he rules, much like what had occurred with himself and Neji.

Suddenly, the Sand Shinobi, now identified as Kankuro, raised his hand.

"I give. I don't want to waste my…uh…waste YOUR time on a match I'm going to…lose." He said, much to the chagrin of the audience. He waved them off and simply jumped up onto the balcony.

Genma simply shrugged and announced the beginning of the next match, as well as Shino's 'victory'.

Naruto noted that Shino had a strange expression over his usually apathetic look.

000

Sakura startled Naruto by standing, until he realized what was to happen.

He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up as he walked slowly out of the room.

She appeared soon after, walking with her opponent, one Inuzuka Kiba.

"Here we have the beautiful Haruno Sakura of Konoha, facing off against another denizen of Konoha, Inuzuka Kiba of the famed Inuzuka strain!" Cheers erupted from the audience.

Genma repeated the routine once more, and paused before asking them to begin, in case of an incident like Kankuro's.

"Begin!" he shouted, as the two opponents jumped back, Sakura drawing a wakizashi and Kiba simply running in a semi-circular fashion.

Suddenly, Kiba transformed into a twisting drill-like shape and began to charge at Sakura.

Naruto watched in horror as the attack connected, smashing Sakura into a nearby wall. Her opponent, seemingly equally worried, rushed to assist her.]

Suddenly, the 'Sakura' disappeared, and her opponent, identified as Kiba, found himself at blade point.

Naruto almost burst into applause, until another twisting vortex slammed into Sakura's side, revealing another Kiba.

Sakura hurtled into a tree, suddenly bursting into cherry blossom petals.

Suddenly, the two Kibas found themselves dodging massive amounts of dangerous-looking wakizashi, each sharp enough to impale, and all being thrown from different angles.

One Kiba suddenly fell to one side, blood dripping from a wound to the side.

Naruto smiled and began to understand Sakura's plan. The wakizashi were all fake. Kiba was under a genjutsu which allowed Sakura the cover under which to strike, therefore both damaging Kiba and heightening the realism of the illusion.

Suddenly, the remaining Kiba transformed once again into a vortex and began circling the perimeter of the arena, soon joined by the wounded kiba. Both of them rushed around the arena at maddening speeds, until one of them suddenly diverted his course and began to rush around inside the perimeter as the other continued the original course.

Naruto nodded gravely as Sakura suddenly became visible, her chakra reserves seemingly exhausted from the usage of the genjutsu.

Both Kibas began a mad rush to Sakura's position, hell bent on dealing the maximum amount of damage possible, their individual 'tornadoes' spinning even faster.

Suddenly, Sakura disappeared, and suddenly reappeared near the entrance.

The two Kibas seemed on a collision course, when they both suddenly diverted and charged at Sakura's new position.

Naruto watched in horror as they continued on a death roll towards Sakura, when she suddenly raised her hand.

"I give up!" she cried, as the two tornadoes converged on her.

Naruto closed his eyes in light of Sakura's impending evisceration, but opened them again when he noticed the silence.

"Winner, Inuzuka Kiba!" cried Genma, holding a Kiba in each hand, much to Naruto's relief.

Sakura later walked shyly up to the 'box' again, an ashamed expression on her face.

"Hey, don't look so down! That was a great plan. Great fight."

Sakura immediately brightened up.

"Haha, the only team seven member who hasn't lost is Sasuke!" Naruto chuckled.

Sakura laughed softly and continued stared blankly into the arena.

Naruto smiled worriedly.

000

The next match soon began, with the lazy young man and a sand kunoichi fighting, but Naruto paid no attention to them. He was more worried about Sakura.

He sighed inwardly, wondering how he could help. He was never any good with human relations, and this was an extremely confusing affair to be starting out with. Firstly, he didn't know what was bothering her. Secondly, she looked sensitive…Thirdly, He didn't know HOW to help her.

He looked blankly at the scene in the arena, where both competitors seemed to be doing…absolutely nothing.

Naruto sighed.

000

A loud voice shook Naruto out of his thinking.

"Shikamaru has withdrawn. Temari is the winner by default." Said Genma, obviously bored at the rather lackluster performance.

Naruto chuckled a bit, but stopped when the 'rude' red haired sand ninja suddenly stood up and left the room.

"It's Sasuke's turn next…" Sakura mumbled.

Naruto frowned. Sakura had evidently not cheered up.

"Eh…Where IS Sasuke, anyway?" said he, with a wide smile.

Sakura looked around and shrugged. Naruto looked at her strangely. Sakura not obsessing over Sasuke? This was serious…

The red-haired sand ninja soon walked onto the field, his oversized gourd slung onto his back. He looked at Genma irritably, and began to glare straight ahead.

Genma sighed.

"If Uchiha Sasuke does not arrive within ten minutes, this victory shall be awarded to Gaara of the sand." He said, checking his watch.

Murmurs arose from the crowd, slowly growing louder.

Gaara scowled, his face contorting into one of extreme annoyance.

000

Naruto looked on wearily. This exam was definitely not a crowd pleaser. Three opponents had dropped out…no, four, and the famed and anticipated Uchiha survivor was mysteriously absent.

Sakura didn't seem to be very worried either, she actually looked slightly bored, much like Naruto.

Those gathered at the balcony area didn't seem to be very enthusiastic either. Naruto almost chuckled again…What happened to the hubbub of those past events, where there were festivals and the like just to commemorate such an event.

Now it just seemed like an extremely solemn funeral with crazy spectators.

Suddenly, a flurry of leaves interrupted Naruto's thoughts.

000

Sasuke and Kakashi appeared suddenly in the middle of the stadium, the Uchiha dressed entirely in black and his teacher holding his perverted book.

Kakashi smiled.

"Sorry we're late."

I know it's a sub-par chapter. Writers block. Sleepy. Tiring. Argh.

Thank you for the reviews. I think I'll be going with Sakura/Naruto.

Additionally, today's title means blindness.

Have a nice day.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Détruire

_Disclaimer: I am not earning anything out of this endeavor and I don't own Naruto._

**Insanity's Ending **

**Chapter Eleven: Détruire**

_Sasuke and Kakashi appeared suddenly in the middle of the stadium, the Uchiha dressed entirely in black and his teacher holding his perverted book._

_Kakashi smiled._

"_Sorry we're late."_

Kakashi's masked smile obviously didn't placate the crowd, evident by their annoyed booing and random throwing of blunt litter into the arena.

Naruto frowned at his teacher. This was unbecoming of Konoha's famed copy-ninja. Appearing so late and so rudely was bound to affect Konoha's reputation somehow.

Naruto turned slightly to look at Sakura, turning back immediately, smiling as he noted her face brighten up.

It didn't matter if it wasn't him that made her brighten up. As long as she did, all was well.

000

Naruto's attention soon turned to the arena once more. Kakashi was walking off as the two opponents walked slowly towards the center of the ring. Genma soon shambled his way to the center of the ring, readying himself for another round of repeating his pre-fight speech.

Naruto looked on at the audience, watching as some of them began to hold up painted cardboard versions of the Uchiha fan, obviously voting for Sasuke. He snorted lightly. Fangirls, fangirls. When would they learn…?

Soon, though, Genma's cry of 'begin' echoed on the walls, signaling the start of the most anticipated match of the competition.

Sasuke immediately began with a shuriken throw, headed right at Gaara until a wall of sand suddenly shot up from the ground in front of him, causing the shuriken to stick harmlessly onto it.

Naruto frowned at the sight as Sasuke, seemingly unfazed, began to rush incredibly fast to Gaara, becoming a blur mid-dash.

Suddenly, another sand shield rose up, this time on Gaara's right, blocking a potentially fatal kick. Sasuke then rushed off again, reappearing many times and repeating the cycle multiple times before, suddenly, Gaara went flying.

Gasps were heard from the sand crowd, while raging cheers were heard from the Konoha crowd as Naruto spotted Sasuke running up a wall as Gaara struggled to stand.

Suddenly, all attention was drawn to Sasuke, as His hand began to pulsate with a glaring blue light, and electricity jumped off, scorching the walls around him.

Sasuke held his hand downward and looked straight at Gaara, who had by then begun to form a sand shield.

Sasuke charged at an incredible speed, his attack screaming behind him and leaving a blue trail as he shouted its name.

"Chidori!"

The attack ended as soon as it had begun, and as the dust left from the charge cleared, Sasuke's arm could be seen stuffed into Gaara's now spherical sand shield, which obscured him from view.

Silence reigned, as the crowd watched in anticipation.

Suddenly, a huge sand explosion rocked the arena, throwing Sasuke roughly back against the wall from which he had charged.

Naruto turned suddenly, startled by sudden movement.

"It's been fun, kids. Gotta go." Said the strange Sand Shinobi who had forfeited his match to Shino, identified as Kankuro during said match.

Kankuro looked over to his sister, the blonde fan wielding Temari, and nodded. They suddenly disappeared in puffs of smoke.

Naruto immediately stood and looked at the crowd, to see them slowly dropping, and falling asleep.

"Genjutsu." He muttered.

Sakura nodded and muttered a muffled "Kai", dispelling the encroaching genjutsu.

Naruto nodded, and with Sakura, jumped, accompanied by two other Konoha Shinobi, Sakura's opponent Kiba, and the lazy boy, Shikamaru.

000

Suddenly, one of the Arena walls collapsed violently, from an incoming force. Naruto and his three companions were amazed, when a huge three-headed snake smashed through, taking the now awoken crowd by surprise and plunging them into terror.

Naruto noted that Gaara was missing, probably taken by the sand Shinobi.

As the civilians crowded to the exits, the multitudes of active and inactive Ninja alike rushed to intercept enemy Shinobi who had begun to rush into the arena. Naruto guessed that there would be more fighting going on outside the Arena.

"Guys, I'm sorry to start commanding you all of a sudden, but we need to help the civilians escape. Kiba, was it? Please use your Tsuuga to clear a path for those blocked by wreckage." Naruto began.

Kiba hesitated for a while, but nodded and, along with his dog, were off to the nearest blocked exit as fast as their legs could carry them.

Suddenly, an enemy Ninja appeared behind Naruto, holding aloft a kunai, poised to strike.

Naruto swiftly turned, and with a swing of his Raijin sword, separated the ninja's legs from his torso. Turning swiftly, He motioned towards Sasuke.

"Sakura, please go and handle Sasuke." He said, his tone deviating slightly into a softer and calmer tone.

Sakura gazed at the fallen ninja's corpse with mixed disgust and awe, but complied immediately.

Naruto surveyed his surroundings, mindful of the chaos as Konoha's ninja took on their unknown assailants. They seemed to be winning, here at least.

"Shikamaru, please do whatever you can to assist those around you. I'm going after the trio that fled." Naruto said, ignoring the bored muttering of his comrade.

000

Naruto jumped onto the large arena wall and looked down into the dense forest into which the sand trio had fled. He cursed as he noted a small bit of movement about three kilometers away from his position.

He jumped down, somersaulting and landing neatly onto a tree, dashing quickly ahead.

He followed the trio, slowly but surely catching up to them, until, suddenly, he noted that one of them, Kankuro, had gone missing. Quickly realizing the danger he was in, he kicked back on a tree trunk, narrowly avoiding a hastily thrown blade-wielding puppet.

He somersaulted back, throwing a kunai with a 'thunk' the puppet, only to have it swiftly pulled out and thrown down immediately after.

Naruto cursed, not foreseeing his opponent's reading of his tactics.

Naruto rushed forward, pulling out the raijin and swinging it, chopping one of his opponent's puppet's hands off.

Suddenly, a dense cloud of what seemed to be insects appeared, and pushed Kankuro down into the underbrush and stopping Naruto in his tracks.

Shino appeared, landing from above on a branch. He looked down at Kankuro, then at Naruto.

"Go, Uzumaki Naruto. This is my fight." Said Shino, dropping down, to fight on Kankuro's level.

Naruto spared not an instant, and began his chase anew.

000

Naruto dashed from branch to branch stopping finally when he noted his two targets having stopped in the midst of a rather densely forested area. They seemed to be settled on a tree, the young man, Gaara, holding his head in pain, or frustration.

Naruto gritted his teeth and threw a kunai.

As it flew, Gaara's head suddenly shot up, and sand began flowing out of his gourd.

The kunai hit the branch on which they were on, catching the attention of the kunoichi, Temari.

She readied her battle fan; And Naruto quickly drew his two swords. Temari began to charge, but was suddenly pulled back by a grotesque looking arm, and flung backwards.

Naruto gasped and immediately jumped back, narrowly avoiding a huge claw heading his way. Naruto cursed and threw three kunai, each lodging themselves into the creature's arm, as the arm drew back.

The creature's right side resembled Gaara, even to its red hair, though his face seemed distorted, but the left seemed monstrous, and almost demonic.

With a roar, the creature flew at Naruto, as he suddenly disappeared, reappearing suddenly behind the creature and swinging his blades in a steep arc downward.

The blades clattered as they hit the creature's monstrous left arm, leaving the creature unfazed. Naruto immediately kicked off and spun in midair, bouncing neatly off a nearby tree and rushing quickly towards the creature.

"Gama Dosuzan!" he cried, swinging his blade in a perfect copy of the attack that he'd used against Neji, only this time, it was the bladed end that was upturned.

The blade connected heavily onto the creature's stomach, dragging it as Naruto continued his rush, culminating as he stopped suddenly and smashed the creature into a nearby tree.

The impact cracked the tree's trunk, causing it to collapse as the creature was flung through, falling down into the depths of the forest.

Naruto slowly peered down, but immediately shot back as the gargantuan monster arm returned, in an attack that would surely have decapitated Naruto had he not moved aside.

Suddenly, the branch upon which he was standing gave way, and Naruto was forced to kick back once again, landing onto another branch, which promptly gave way as well.

Looking down, Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that the monster had grown another gargantuan arm, and that its human side seemed to have disappeared, covered by a strange vaguely animalistic 'armor', complete with eyes and a large grinning mouth.

"DIE, you little runt!" cried the creature, swinging its arm and laughing as eight oversized sand shuriken shot out.

Naruto cursed and dropped immediately, sheathing his blades and taking a bundle wrapped in explosive notes, tossing them at the creature.

The creature 'smirked' and moved aside swiftly, watching as the bundle detonated 'harmlessly' behind it. The 'smirk' soon disappeared, as a large number of kunai suddenly embedded themselves into its back and many more scattered, sticking into trees and patches of ground around the area.

The creature screamed in rage and attempted to claw its back, in an attempt to rid itself of the kunai. Suddenly, Naruto appeared behind it, touching it lightly, then swinging his newly activated raijin in a semi-circular arc, separating the creature's 'hands' from its arms.

The creature roared in anger as Naruto disappeared and appeared suddenly near a faraway tree.

Suddenly, the creature's hands reemerged in a seemingly painful process, eliciting roars from the creature and an annoyed look from Naruto.

The creature charged at Naruto at an immense speed and knocked him from the ground into an overhanging branch, splintering it.

It then rose and swept Naruto through another tree, rushing after him to grab him and smash him into the ground in a rock-shattering display of strength.

The creature then picked Naruto up and began to repeatedly slam him against a particularly hardy oak tree.

Naruto stared shakily up at the monster when the slamming had stopped. His eyes suddenly flew open as a sharp object jammed into his left arm.

"AAAAGH!" he screamed, as the monster's razor sharp claw dug into his arm, drawing immense amounts of blood, and causing immense pain.

Naruto gasped, suddenly wishing for his 'other' to take over, but it never came. The medicine, too strong and applied too soon had assured that.

Naruto struggled to focus, but failed horribly as the horrible sensation of the claw was amplified by it being twisted. Naruto stifled a yell.

His eyes suddenly flared open, and he disappeared, reappearing behind the monster and holding the Raijin.

The monster began to turn, but roared as a huge gash was cut into its back.

Naruto landed heavily on his feet. Propping himself up on a tree, he winced, as his wound instantly began to regenerate, no doubt thanks to the demon residing in him.

The Monster growled and looked angrily at Naruto.

"Yrrrou…Wrrrrilll…DIIIEEEE…" it chanted, as it charged again at Naruto.

Naruto took up a vaguely defensive stance, readying himself for the impact, when suddenly, the monster was blown aside by a blue flash.

Naruto looked on as the Monster crashed into a tree, growling in pain as its new assailant leapt back.

"Sasuke!" exclaimed Naruto, looking on at his teammate.

"Heh. We're even now." Said the Uchiha, a smirk on his face.

The two of them soon turned to the monster who seemed to be standing very still.

Sasuke growled.

"Chidori!" he cried, leaping forward as electricity covered his arm.

He was promptly smacked into a tree by the monster's extended arm.

The monster then grabbed him and began to smash HIM into the ground.

Naruto frowned and activated his blade, charging forward.

The monster raised its other arm in an attempt to counter, only to have it chopped off. It growled and swung its remaining arm, Sasuke and all.

Naruto was sent flying into a tree, collapsing at its base.

The monster growled deeply and dropped Sasuke.

It began to charge, when suddenly, it stopped, and began to look around.

Naruto watched confusedly as the monster began to randomly swipe at the air, sometimes hitting trees, but not really doing anything else.

He got to his feet shakily and leaned back on a tree.

"You…okay?" said a voice from behind, startling him.

Naruto turned around and smiled.

"Sakura…"

Sakura stepped out of the shadows, her hands in a genjutsu seal. Naruto nodded and looked at the monster.

"You've got to take Sasuke and get out of here." He said, his voice firm.

Sakura frowned.

"You can't handle…" she began.

"I'll hold him off. Get reinforcements. GO." He said, suddenly charging at the monster again.

Sakura looked at his form for a while, and headed for Sasuke.

000

Naruto dashed at the monster, then suddenly disappeared, appearing by the monster's head, the Raijin blade held aloft.

He swung down, hitting the monster's head.

Naruto was amazed as the Raijin bounced off.

The monster suddenly turned and swiped Naruto into the ground.

Naruto kicked back on a tree, then disappeared.

The monster growled, but suddenly roared, as Naruto's lightning sword was stuffed into its gut.

Naruto twisted the blade, then pulled it out, jumping back as the monster began to convulse.

Suddenly, a huge wave of sand erupted from behind the monster, transforming into small bullets and shooting nonstop at Naruto.

Naruto's eyes widened and he began to teleport around, dodging bullets where he went.

He didn't notice the monster gathering chakra.

"IIII"VE HrrAAAD ENOOOUGH" screamed the monster, as huge pillars of sand erupted from around it, encasing it in a dome of sand.

Naruto watched on as the dome suddenly began to shape itself into a quadruped-like form. Naruto's eyes suddenly widened.

"Shuhaku of the sand…" he muttered, beginning to sweat, out of fear.

From the huge demon's head emerged suddenly a seal-forming Gaara.

"Tanuki Neiri no jutsu!" cried Gaara, suddenly dropping off to sleep, as his technique implied.

Naruto cursed as sand began to gather around his body.

Maniacal laughing was heard from the great demon as it glared down at Naruto.

Naruto looked up at the creature defiantly, putting his thumb to his teeth and biting down.

"This…hehe…ain't a dream, kiiiiid." Said the Shuhaku, it's voice mocking.

Naruto unclasped his gauntlet, throwing it onto the forest floor.

"Hehehehe…" snickered the Monster, baring its teeth.

Naruto drew his bloodied thumb across his now-uncovered arm.

Shuhaku had stopped laughing.

Naruto's thumb stopped at the edge of his wrist.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Thank you for the encouraging reviews so far, please don't forget to ask questions.

I have a massive Q&A session now, concerning why Naruto didn't go off and romance *insert name here*

**Q&A**

**Why didn't Naruto go with…**

-Hinata

She's very shy, and Naruto's an idiot when it comes to romance. They'd be shy around each other, and that really wouldn't be very appealing. Also, in the anime, Hinata crushes on Naruto because He's energetic and very confident. From what Hinata's seen of Naruto in this fic, he has none of those qualities.]

-Hanabi

Underage. Very underage. Additionally, Hanabi really doesn't seem to be a good match for Naruto in the first place….

-Tenten

Haven't met much. Would be a very fantastic thing if Tenten were to suddenly be attracted to a kid a year her junior.

-Anko

Sister-Brother relationship.

-Kurenai

She's, like…thirty.

-Tayuya

Haven't come to that yet. Might have some plans on this couple... still considering this, really.

-Temari

They're from different villages, and it would, as with Tenten, be very fake if she were to suddenly fall in deep, lustful love with Naruto. AND I don't want to write too much of a romance development thing in order to pull it off.

-Ino

They have not met very much, or at all, considering that Naruto was a relative unknown in the class.

-Tsunade/Shizune

Haven't been intro-ed yet. Also, tsunade is like his mother figure and, really, I don't want to even think about him with her. Shizune is really like an older sister. As in OLDER. Okay?

-a revived and female Haku

I'm not reviving Haku.

-Kin

He never really met her in this fic, did he?

-Any guy

NO. I vill keel you all.

**Will you be giving Naruto any other abilities?**

No, I don't think so…and if I were, you'd have to read in order to find out.

Any other questions will be answered later.

Also, I need someone fluent in Japanese who knows where to put the 'no's and the 'jutsus' and the similar. The net translators don't seem to be able to process phrases…

And for those overly worried about my choice of couple, don't worry. I won't make it too mushy. I don't know how to write romance, so there will be no lime, lemons or any mouth to mouth kissing whatsoever. What's left, you say? Well, not much…so don't worry.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Anéantissement

_Disclaimer: I am not earning anything out of this endeavor. I don't own Naruto._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Twelve: Anéantissement**

_Naruto's thumb stopped at the edge of his wrist._

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" _

Naruto's palm hit the ground with a soft 'thump', seals spreading out from it, and winding into tendrils, each curving slightly. Soon the seals came to look like a sun, with its rays reaching far. The seals began to glow, and the encroaching sand suddenly lost its vigor, falling to the ground like normal sand would.

Shuhaku, the great one-tailed Raccoon demon, suddenly began to adopt a rather worried look.

"What are you doing, you stupid kid?" said he, in his great rumbling voice, watching in annoyance as the great map of seals began to slow in its expansion.

Shuhaku growled, and formed a sphere of sand from the ground, throwing it with his will.

The great sand-sphere headed for Naruto, his hand still stuck to the ground, when, suddenly, it simply reverted to normal sand, much like what had happened in the demon's prior attempt. Growling in frustration, the demon began its charge, crushing trees that would have dwarfed a man like no more than grass under its massive feet.

Naruto looked up and smiled.

Suddenly, the trees in the perimeter of Naruto's seal circle burst into flame, and a huge glowing winged figure appeared from the sky above, descending in a steep arc and spiraling around the area for a while, both Shuhaku and Naruto looking on incredulously. The figure suddenly glided to a distance, then turned back and began to fly low.

As it approached, Shuhaku glared fiercely at Naruto, who had a smile on his face.

Naruto then jumped and landed deftly on the great figure's 'shoulder'.

The figure then preformed an incredible vertical turn, stopping suddenly midair.

The figure was a great Falcon, its eyes wide and glowing with an ethereal light, its incredibly large wings emanating an unearthly yet remarkably warm glow. Each feather on its graceful form seemed to be giving off a resplendent glow of its own, creating an overall light that seemed to be as bright as the sun. There was a seemingly rotating Halo suspended between its wings that was seemed to give off a light greater than the sun. The falcon's majestic tail reached far down, floating and weaving gracefully in a wind that was not there.

Shuhaku seemed to cower in the fierce light of the falcon, making attempts to cover his eyes and taking steps back, emitting growls at each step.

"I am Horus, Lord of the sky and divine harbinger. My eyes art the Sun and the Moon, mine wings encircleth the sky, and with mine own two talons hath taken possession." Said the creature, its voice echoing strangely and in different, melodious tones, from a mouth that did not seem to even be moving.

The great falcon tilted its head slightly towards his left shoulder, where Naruto was standing.

"What hath thee called me to this plane to accomplish?" asked the falcon in its melodious tone.

Naruto was stunned for a moment, but soon shook himself out of his dazed stupor.

"My lord, I am Uzumaki Naruto of the Hidden leaf. I request your assistance in the dispatching of this demon, for he is attempting to destroy my home." Said Naruto, bowing slightly.

Horus turned slowly to Shuhaku, his glowing eyes flashing brightly.

"Thine heart speaks virtue, and thine soul be worthy. I shalt assist thee in thine plight." Said the Falcon, facing Shuhaku with a glare that, if looks could kill, would have destroyed the continent.

Naruto nodded and steeled himself, as Horus suddenly rose and dove at an incredible velocity at Shuhaku, crying with an echoing shriek.

Shuhaku's eyes widened and he placed a huge arm up in attempt to fend the falcon off.

Horus' talons gashed huge holes into Shuhaku's arm on impact, eliciting roars of displeasure from the gigantic demon.

Shuhaku growled, And opened his mouth, a huge burst of chakra-infused air emerging from his mouth.

Horus waved it aside as if it were a fly, causing the demon to step back in astonishment, allowing Horus to begin his charge anew.

Shuhaku once again raised his arm, judging pain in favor of a violent death at the talons of an enraged Falcon.

Horus grabbed on to Shuhaku's thick arm, its talons piercing deeply, and allowing Horus to lift the demon.

With a flap of his mighty wings, Horus soared through the air, heading upwards, in the direction of the sun, Shuhaku in tow, dangling by its arm.

When they were high up, Horus suddenly spun around, looking down at the ground, which seemed to be but a blot of green, Konoha itself barely visible.

Horus suddenly let go of Shuhaku, letting it fall. Suddenly, the halo on Horus' back began to glow, and Horus' head dipped backwards. Naruto watched in amazement as a thin beam of blinding light leapt from Horus' opened beak, hitting Shuhaku square in the chest, causing the demon's descent to accelerate, and at the same time boring slowly through the demon's diamond-hard hide.

The Demon impacted with the ground ridiculously heavily, causing tremors and decimating miles of forest.

As they descended, Naruto noted that half of Shuhaku's body had turned to glass, beginning from the area on which the beam had hit and extending outwards. Mort of it had shattered from thi impact, leaving a humungous hole in Shuhaku's belly.

Gaara's limp frame could be seen on Shuhaku's convulsing head, which was bobbing wildly.

"That boy is the conduit from which the demon's power is channeled. He is much like you in that sense." Said the great falcon.

Naruto looked up in surprise, but quickly recovered.

"I shalt destroy this demon, and its carrier, so that it shalt not threaten the lives of innocents again." Said the Hawk, the Halo on its back beginning to glow again.

"No! Please!" cried Naruto.

The great falcon turned, seeming irritated.

"He…is a victim of circumstance, as you said, much like me. I…believe that he can repent…I…believe that he can change his fate. I believe that everyone can change his or her own fate." Said Naruto, looking down at Gaara.

Horus was silent for what seemed like an eternity, before suddenly bursting into laughter, or what seemed like it.

"I wouldst not have it any other way. Your soul is true, Naruto of Uzumaki. Thine mercy will not go unrewarded." Said the falcon, its great echoing voice mirthful and warm.

Naruto suddenly found himself on Shuhaku's great head, Gaara's form in front of him.

"I hath fulfilled mine contract on this, thine plane. Thou art worthy of the contract to which I and mine brethren art bound. Godspeed, Naruto of Uzumaki, and may you prosper." Said Horus, his echoing voice ringing throughout the forest.

Naruto nodded, and bowed deeply, as Horus ascended to the sky, a golden trail left behind him.

Naruto slowly looked down. He knelt down before Gaara.

Suddenly, Naruto landed a heavy punch onto Gaara's face.

Gaara's eyes burst open, and he suddenly vomited an obscene amount of blood. Shuhaku, or what remained of him, slowly dissolved to the sand from which he was formed. Eventually, Naruto and Gaara found themselves on the floor of the forest, surrounded by immense amounts of sand and a huge mound of glass in the background.

"You know…" began Naruto, watching as Gaara staggered to his feet.

"I don't understand the physics of life. I don't understand the basis of our existence here. I can't explain the rationale by which we exist on this good earth." Said Naruto.

Gaara seemed to be staggering towards Naruto, who was standing propped up on a tree stump, his hands careful not to scrape anything sharp.

"But I know that we're all here for a reason. We all exist for a purpose. And no one, I say no one, is born to kill. If there were people born to take the lives of others, then there would be no sense to this world."

Gaara had stopped.

"If you really want to continue your mindless rampaging and murder sprees, then please, by all means, do."

Naruto began to walk towards Gaara.

"But know that you are not fulfilling the purpose of which you have been placed here to accomplish."

Naruto neared Gaara.

"Know that you are not fated to take the lives of others."

Naruto placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"Know that, no matter how much you've been lead to believe that you are a tool, that you are a killer, that you are nothing else but a weapon, you can change that fate."

Naruto began to walk away from the area.

"Good luck, Gaara of the desert."

Naruto leapt into the trees.

000

Naruto went through the forest, pushing himself to his maximum speed.

As he neared the walls of Konoha, a quick jump sent him sailing over the damaged ramparts.

Naruto immediately headed through the battlefield, avoiding the fighting and heading for the Arena.

He entered the ring, to see many a ninja in combat. He stared up at the roof, to see a glowing crimson rectangle. His eyes widened, and he leapt towards the main building.

000

Upon reaching the top, he noted three ANBU kneeling before the rectangle. He walked slowly towards the rectangle itself. The ANBU glanced at him, then back at the scene unfurling inside the rectangle.

Naruto's throat clamped in upon itself, as he observed the scene.

Orochimaru's Kusanagi was impaled into the Third's stomach, as a huge apparition of a demonic, yet familiar looking entity hovered overhead, grasping at a blue glow emanating from Orochimaru, while two more of the third's kage Bunshin held on tightly to two warriors Naruto recognized as the first two Hokage.

Naruto staggered towards the rectangle pulling out his Raijin.

Igniting it, he began to slash at the walls of light, to no avail. He savagely swung at the walls, growling as he went. The three ANBU made no attempt to stop him.

From inside the rectangle, the Third Hokage turned slightly to Naruto, and smiled warmly, before mouthing something to Orochimaru.

Suddenly, a great flash of light blinded Naruto, and pushed him back.

When he turned back, he saw the Third's body lying before an angered Orochimaru, who seemed to be crying out in extreme rage. Naruto centered on the Third's corpse, not possessed of the same seal he had on his stomach.

"OLD MAN!" he cried, breaking down in tears. He smacked the wall repeatedly, singeing his hands. Suddenly, he noticed that the wall had disappeared. Looking up, he growled and threw a kunai up into the sky, disappearing immediately after.

Orochimaru, supported by a six-armed boy, was growling in anger, before he saw a kunai flash in front of his face. Orochimaru growled, and kicked back from the six-armed boy's back, pushing him into Naruto's swing, and separating his torso from his legs. Orochimaru immediately fell to a rather bulky looking man.

Naruto pulled out another two kunai, and they them, only to have them deflected mid-air by sound waves.

Two of Orochimaru's bodyguards began to attack, a red headed girl and a white headed boy with a strange lump on his back.

They landed on a nearby roof, and began to engage in combat, as the girl began to form some seals, the white-haired boy charged at Naruto, two kunai drawn.

Naruto ducked and slashed, only to have his opponent jump. However, the boy's jump was in vain, as he had obviously forgotten about the ANBU on the roof, one of which was the Captain.

The boy was impaled suddenly by a huge icicle extended from the ANBU captain's hand. Naruto immediately charged at the girl, spinning into a roundhouse and interrupting her seals.

He kicked her up and somersaulted, kicking her back down in a display of aerial acrobatics.

He twisted in midair and began a dive-bomb down, his Raijin held out.

"Naruto, that's enough…" muttered the ANBU captain, who suddenly grabbed the girl out of the way.

Naruto recovered quickly from his attack, landing on the ground and crumpling to his knees immediately. Tears flowed down his cheeks as the sun began to set, framing the sky in a vibrant crimson-yellow.

000

Naruto awoke from his slumber, and looked out of his window, his face somber and his eyes red from crying. It was raining, and rather heavily, too. Naruto looked over to his table, four syringes laid neatly upon a pure-white sheet.

He had wondered if his 'Id' would break out, from the trauma of the occurrences, but 'he' had not. The syringe medication was doing its work well…However, Naruto couldn't help but feel an emptiness, some deep sorrow, even at the back of his head.

Naruto opened his cupboard after completing his daily routine, fishing out an outfit of deepest black, and slowly wearing it.

Naruto walked slowly to his windowsill, looking out the window and watching as the many black umbrella-holding individuals began milling out of their homes, and heading in the same direction.

He almost began to cry again. The one person who had cared for him enough to put his own neck on the line to save him, out of genuine care.

Naruto took a flower of purest, untainted white out of a crystalline glass, staring at it for a while, before heading towards the entrance of his home, and retrieving a black umbrella of his own.

000

The funeral procession was a quiet one, though almost every single citizen of Konoha was gathered there, no one made so much as a squeak, and all eyes were on the coffin in which their respected leader, slain by his own apprentice, lay, his face somehow at peace, even as his soul was doomed to eternally serve as an vassal of the Death-God.

Naruto marveled at the irony of the situation. Two Hokage had already given their souls to that same Shinigami. It was an incredibly strange thing to wonder at…

The speaker, an elder member of the Council, one Mitokado Homura, soon stepped down, his aged face displaying sorrow that not many could know, and even fewer would be able to comprehend.

The gathered group, understanding their parts, rose and began to walk past the lacquered teak coffin, some crying, and others almost, as they saw the face of their leader, perhaps for the last time. They placed flowers, all white, upon his coffin as the rain grew heavier.

Naruto reminisced of the past, and remembered the times in which the 'Old Man' had helped him through his struggled, through his initial phobia of contact, and through the tribulations of being a Demon carrier.

Naruto reached the coffin, and looking at his mentor and best friend for what was to be, perhaps, the last time, he began to weep sorrowfully, placing his flower upon the piles of them already there, and walking past, his tears mingling with the rain.

000

Naruto spent the rest of the day just sitting on his couch, looking out the window and randomly picking up a book, or scroll, only to replace it where he'd found it. So much had happened, and in so small a span of time.

He sipped at a cup of warm water, as lightning flashed across the bleak, grey sky, illuminating it in a great white flash, and casting strange shadows upon Naruto's dark room.

Naruto gazed lazily up at the Hokage monument, for the first time noticing a crack upon the Third's rocky visage. A bad omen, a sign of bad things to come. Naruto guessed that the recent events were classified under 'bad'…

Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts, when three sharp knocks were heard from his door.

He rose, heading steadily for the door.

Upon opening it, he was surprised to see Jiraiya.

"Hey, kid." Said the Sannin, smiling a fake smile, evident from the sheer effort he was trying to put in.

Naruto opened the door wider, allowing him in. Jiraiya admired his surroundings for a while, before taking a seat on a wooden chair opposite Naruto's sofa.

"So, Jiraiya, what can I do for you?" asked Naruto, smiling warmly, placing a cup of warm tea poured from a pot next to his seat upon the small table in front of him.

Jiraiya picked it up and sipped it, before turning to Naruto with a serious expression.

"Naruto, How'd you like to go on a trip with me?" asked the white-haired man, pouring some milk from a small jug into his tea.

Naruto looked puzzled.

"What for?" he asked, sipping on his own cup of water.

"Konoha is low on troops and Shinobi right now, because of the Sand-Sound attack, and we've heard rumors of Iwagakure acting up. Right now we're going to have to depend on Rain and Grass for protection, and I doubt they'll lend too many of their forces to us…" Jiraiya stopped, and sipped his now milky tea.

Naruto nodded, looking out the window slightly.

"Well, suffice to say, we're in desperate need of skilled Ninja to fill up the voids of those many deceased ones, and I know someone that could help." Said Jiraiya, sipping his tea slightly.

Naruto nodded again.

"Who is this person?" asked he.

Jiraiya smiled.

"The third legendary Sannin, Tsunade." Jiraiya finished, smiling broadly.

Thank you so very much for the reviews!

Anyway, just to confirm, yes, it is going to be **Mild** Naru/Saku.

Anyway. I hope you've enjoyed my story, throughout these 11 chapters and a prologue.

Thanks for your support, and please send questions and I'll answer them by mail.

Good night!


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Quête

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning any profit from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Thirteen: Quête**

Naruto shot up, as three sharp knocks emanated from outside his door.

Naruto sat up groggily and stared blankly at the alarm clock at his bedside. He then turned back to the door and frowned slightly. He stood to his feet and began to walk towards his door, as another series of knocks was heard.

"Naruto! Are you ready?" asked an overly excited Jiraiya from a small gap in between the now-slightly-opened door and the wall.

Naruto sighed and opened the door, as Jiraiya walked in, plopping himself down on an overstuffed sofa opposite to the window, his bag placed untidily beside it.

"Yes, but you're rather early…" said Naruto, walking slowly to his kitchen, where a small bowl of fruit lay.

Picking an apple up, he headed to where Jiraiya was sitting, and reading a small book that Naruto recognized as one of his own.

"Huh. Naruto, you need to read something more productive. This stuff is so…" said Jiraiya, trailing off into silence.

Naruto looked puzzled.

"…Boring." Finished Jiraiya, placing the book back upon his table and looking up at a still-puzzled Naruto.

"Well, it's really hard for me to sneak any books on more exciting Jutsu out, and…" began Naruto.

Jiraiya began to wave his arms about erratically.

"No, No. I mean something like this!" said Jiraiya, brandishing an orange book with a rather shoddily drawn picture on the front, and a great red prohibition sign on the back.

Naruto looked at it for a while.

"It's for people over eighteen, therefore it's classified under smut, Jiraiya." Said Naruto, grabbing a bag sitting outside his room and walking over to his crafting table.

Jiraiya gasped.

"It's smut written by ME!" proclaimed he, an incredulous tone to his voice.

Naruto shook his head and went to work placing bundles of kunai into various pockets in and around his bag, arranging his supplies in order of size.

Jiraiya had, by then pulled out another book from the shelf from the nearby shelf and began to read, shaking his head as he flipped through the pages, and sighing as he tossed it onto the seat next to his own as Naruto walked into the toilet.

Naruto soon emerged wearing his usual outfit of a loose white shirt, black trousers and his wrist guards and knee guards.

He then strapped his pouches about his waist and hefted his bag, slinging his arms neatly through, snatching up his raijin and clipping it to his belt in the same movement. He then proceeded to strap his two heavy swords to his back, via sliding them down through the nook in between his back and his bag.

"Restricted books may refer to violence, you know…" said Jiraiya, standing to his feet.

"Not ones with pictures of a girl being chased by a guy on the front, and besides, I happen to know that book. Kakashi reads it like it was some sort of holy book…Now, can we go?" said Naruto, motioning to the door.

Jiraiya scowled and stood.

000

Naruto wondered why he, of all people, had been chosen to accompany Jiraiya on such an important mission. He hadn't even met Tsunade, apart from a few glances of her in a picture somewhere. Wouldn't one of the people trained by her be more adequate?

Then again, she didn't really take on many apprentices, though it was acknowledged that Medical procedures were truly never the same after she went onto the field, some of which had been adopted by other countries, as well.

He and Jiraiya had stopped by at Ichiraku ramen, where Jiraiya was having a lively conversation with Teuchi, the owner of the stand upon whether to put 'Junko' with 'Buraizo' or 'Raido'.

Naruto had begun to frequent the stand after Jiraiya had brought him there for the first time, though he was still far from being an aficionado of Ramen; He usually ordered something light, like a soup, or a dry ramen.

Naruto sighed and sipped his cup of tea slowly, not listening as Jiraiya and Teuchi continued their banter, which was fast approaching an NC-16 level…

"You want anything else?" asked Ayame, jolting Naruto out of his thoughts.

Naruto shook his head, and sipped on his tea again.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked again, resting on the counter and smiling at Naruto.

"I don't really know." Said Naruto.

"Remember to come by when you're back!" said Ayame, grinning.

Naruto smiled.

000

Naruto looked back as the great gates of Konoha closed shut behind him, turning numbly to view the vast expanse of road ahead of him, while Jiraiya bantered jovially with a guard, and began to walk as the white-haired man moved to join him.

"Don't worry, my boy. This trip won't be useless for you; As I, the all-powerful Toad ninja Jiraiya, have something to teach you!" said Jiraiya, putting obvious emphasis on his name, and the preceding title.

Naruto looked at Jiraiya, who was posing in a strange way, hopping on one foot, and looked back, continuing his walk forward, much to Jiraiya's frustration.

"Hey! I'm serious here! Listen! Hey!" said Jiraiya, running to catch up with Naruto.

Naruto looked back, and his eyes widened, as he saw Jiraiya rushing at him, a swirling blue sphere of Chakra pulsing in his outstretched arm.

"Sakashima jishin tounyuu!" whispered Naruto, grabbing Jiraiya's wrist and, with his palm, slamming the white-haired man's elbow up and flipping him rather heavily in the general direction of a rather large rock, which Jiraiya's blue sphere immediately began grinding into, much to Naruto's amazement.

Jiraiya collapsed to a heap below the rock, and looked up, an annoyed look on his face.

"What was THAT for?" he cried, indignant.

"Well, one really doesn't stand there waiting for painful death if one sees a great bulky man rushing at him with a Rasengan swirling in his hand, does he?" cried Naruto, walking over to inspect the hole made by Jiraiya's Rasengan.

"Oh, you know about the Rasengan? Good, then I don't need to explain its origins." Said Jiraiya, flapping his arm slightly and dusting himself off.

"Yeah, I know it from…somewhere. I think I read about it…or something." Said Naruto, lightly poking around the small hole created by the blue sphere. Jiraiya came up from behind him and led him behind the rock, to a gasp, by Naruto.

The back of the rock had, in a word, been annihilated. A gigantic hole leading neatly to the smaller one. All in all, there was very little rock left in the thing.

"Abstract art at its most abstract. Hehe." Said Jiraiya, roughly slapping a gaping Naruto's back.

000

Jiraiya smiled, as they walked, tossing Naruto a small yellow balloon.

"Use your Chakra to burst that." Said Jiraiya, watching on as Naruto began on his task.

Naruto squinted, and the balloon exploded in a great burst of light blue chakra and bright yellow pieces. Jiraiya looked on, visibly impressed.

"That was fast…" said Jiraiya, taking from his bag another balloon.

"This one's filled with water. I want you to do this…" he said, holding it in his hand. Naruto looked on, as nothing happened for about a minute.

Suddenly, Naruto's eyes widened in realization, and Jiraiya laughed.

"Got it?" he asked, passing the ball to an eager Naruto, who immediately began to concentrate on the balloon.

Jiraiya walked ahead slightly, but was startled by a sudden explosion from behind him. He turned, to see Naruto slightly damp, and his balloon in shreds.

"That was fast too." Said Jiraiya, handing Naruto another balloon.

"Thank goodness I made a lot…" muttered the white-haired man, glancing back at his backpack.

000

"Alright, Naruto, it's time for a rest…" said Jiraiya, as the duo neared a reasonably large township.

Naruto peered up, holding a green colored balloon in his outstretched hand. He seemed rather weary, though not from the mediocre journeyt from Konoha's gates.

Jiraiya frowned.

"I'm teaching you this technique for it to be of some use to you, not for you to commit suicide from chakra exhaustion…" muttered Jiraiya, snatching the balloon from Naruto's weak hand.

Naruto made a weak grab for the balloon, but stumbled a bit, and struggled slightly to keep his posture straight. As Jiraiya led him through a few crowded areas, and into a small, rather cheap looking hotel building.

"Room for two, please." Said Jiraiya, knocking on the hard teak wood counter, which had obviously, from the many scratches on its surface, seen better days; and his coins were promptly collected, and replaced with a key attached to a keychain, on which was engraved 'room fifteen'.

"Second floor, third from the right…" said the lady at the counter, a small smile on her face.

Jiraiya prodded Naruto up the stairs and, following the directions given to him by the lady, into room fifteen, a moderately spacious area with two separated beds and a wooden desk.

Naruto sat himself on a bed and shook himself awake. Jiraiya had placed his backpack in front of Naruto and opened it, revealing a large amount of water balloons, along with a small unopened packet of shriveled balloons.

Naruto looked up at Jiraiya, who seemed to be heading out the door.

"Going out to gather information on Tsunade-hime…hehe." Said he, though the chuckle at the end hinted at the more mischievous endeavors he had planned.

Naruto sighed and picked up a balloon, just as the door opened again.

"And don't blow the room up just yet…" said Jiraiya, his head ducking back into the room, and disappearing just as soon after.

Naruto shook his head and concentrated again on molding the chakra, until the balloon suddenly exploded again, drenching the surrounding area on his bed in water.

Groaning, Naruto frowned. Wasn't he the wrong person to teach such a complicated technique requiring prodigious mastery of chakra control to? Jiraiya knew of his…disability, and yet, still chose to teach him this, instead of a Taijutsu, or something that just required basic mastery of any sort of chakra molding.

Naruto sighed and took out another sphere, once again attempting to concentrate.

000

Naruto looked around, groaning as he saw the entire moistened area. Hopefully it would dry, thought he, picking up a remnant of his latest attempt at Jiraiya's 'second step'. Naruto suddenly looked up, as from the door came a loud knocking.

"Back so soon?" he said, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. He opened the door, to find himself face-to-face with a Sharingan.

"I'm afraid I'm not he whom you expected, Naruto. I must, however, request that you come with me…" said the Sharingans owner, a man in a red cloud ornamented black coat. Naruto's eyes widened, and he somersaulted back, just as a great bandaged blade came smashing through the door.

A man with blue skin and a strange looking face stepped through the door, followed immediately by the Sharingan Wielder. Naruto had, by then gone into a battle-ready mode, and was eyeing both of them warily.

"Did you really have to do that? It's going to draw attention." Said the Sharingan wielder, his voice betraying an almost undetectable tinge of annoyance. His blue-skinned partner, also dressed in similar attire, snorted loudly, his eyes wandering around the room.

"Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame…'S' ranked missing-nin of the leaf and mist, respectively…" said Naruto, slowly drawing his Raijin, and activating it.

The Sharingan wielder, Uchiha Itachi's red-black eyes moved slightly.

"So, Uzumaki Naruto, you know of us. I do not presume to know if you understand our mission." Said he, in a voice that was almost totally monotone.

"Hey, kid, nice sword." Said his partner, Kisame, who was eyeing Naruto's Raijin with a wide smile.

Naruto's eyes darted from either person.

"Perhaps I do understand…" Naruto said, trying to keep a level head.

"Please do not try to stall for Jiraiya-sama." Said Itachi, taking a small step forward.

Naruto leapt into action, throwing a few kunai around, and tossing one at Itachi, who sidestepped easily, and returned the throw.

Naruto disappeared, reappearing suddenly near Itachi's position and swiping at him with his blade. Itachi dodged neatly and slashed at Naruto with a kunai, beginning a series of swipes that Naruto found himself hard pressed to dodge.

Naruto disappeared and reappeared near one of the kunai, disappearing immediately again and reappearing near Itachi in a downward swipe, which was, once again dodged.

"Hiraishin no jutsu… Impressive, Naruto." Said Itachi, his voice still in a frustrating monotone.

Naruto appeared next to Itachi again, only to be kicked into a nearby wall. He looked up at the Sharingan wielder incredulously, spitting out some blood as he rose.

"You think that I cannot track your moves with my Sharingan…You are right. But appearing in the exact same place thrice would mean your death, if I meant to kill you." Said Itachi, his eyes seemingly glowing as half his face was obscured by shadows.

Itachi dashed towards Naruto, only to have him disappear, and reappear behind him, his blade thrust straight at Itachi's head, only to have his wrist kicked up, and a leg make impact upon his stomach, knocking him back a considerable distance into an opposing wall, making a few cracks in he concrete.

"Swords are an unwieldy companion at close range." Said Itachi, apparently reveling in his victory, an act perhaps unbecoming, of an 'S' ranked criminal.

"You talk too much." Muttered Naruto, once again teleporting next to Itachi, only to immediately teleport away, dodging a kick and reappearing at Itachi's side, his blade again fast approaching Itachi.

Itachi swiveled around, and swung again, only to have Naruto disappear again, reappearing behind the amused Kisame, where a kunai had landed.

"Think I'm less of a threat than the girly-man? I'm disappointed…" said the man-shark, turning upon his feet and swinging his great sword.

Naruto could only watch in abstract horror, as he began to hurtle across the room, blood bursting forth from his mouth as a cry from behind the door suddenly erupted, and a great noise came with it.

"CHIDORI!"

Thank you for your reviews! I love hearing from you people! Thank you, and please continue to review!

I'm posting a bit late, because I've been overseas for a while.

Q and A will be next week, sorry!


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Légendaire

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Fourteen: Légendaire**

**---**

"_Think I'm less of a threat than the girly-man? I'm disappointed…" said the man-shark, turning upon his feet and swinging his great sword._

_Naruto could only watch in abstract horror, as he began to hurtle across the room, blood bursting forth from his mouth as a cry from behind the door suddenly erupted, and a great noise came with it._

"_CHIDORI!"_

**---**

A streak of blue cut through Naruto's line of sight, heading straight at Itachi. Naruto feebly got to his feet, coughing out a rather impressive amount of blood, all the time watching as Itachi's hand shot out rather weakly, just as the blue streak was about to hit him, knocking it aside, and diverting its course sideways into a nearby wall, where it caused widespread devastation, demolishing the sturdy structure and reducing it to a pile of rubble.

Naruto hastily Hiraishin'ed himself to a location away from his two opponents, as his black-clad 'rescuer' roughly pulled his arm out of the wall, and turned swiftly to glare at Itachi.

"Sasuke?" mumbled Naruto, nursing his stomach, where Hoshigaki Kisame, Itachi's partner, had so subtly expressed his anger at being underestimated. Itachi simply looked at Sasuke with a bored expression showing on his already apathetic face, as if judging him a mild inconvenience, a fly on a windscreen, if you will. His partner was looking at Sasuke with an equally disinterested face, hefting his sword and spitting coarsely onto the floor.

"Itachi, you bastard! I'll kill you for the destruction of our…" began Sasuke his face set into a fierce mask of pure anger.

"Save your potentially embarrassing diatribe, foolish little brother. You are nothing, and my mission here does not concern you or your needless heroics." Said Itachi, his voice toneless and very much dangerous.

Sasuke roared and charged up his Chidori again, still glaring at Itachi, even as the blue-white sparks began to pulsate around his palm, scorching the ground. Sasuke charged at Itachi once again, only to have his wrist grabbed, and his stomach brutally assaulted, multiple times, in a flurry of punches, before having his Chidori once again directed into another wall, this time outside the door. Itachi looked lazily at Sasuke, walking out slowly to Sasuke's position, where said boy lay panting at the foot of a rather impressive crater.

"Gama-kata: Dosuzan!" cried Naruto, his two swords held behind him, falling at a rather wide arc at Kisame, who had been watching Sasuke and Itachi fight. Kisame leapt rather carelessly back as Naruto's blades carved two great gashes into the ground upon which he had been standing.

"Hey, there, kid, don't frighten me like that." Muttered Kisame, frowning slightly.

"Oh, the things I could tell you about breaking clichés." Whispered Naruto, charging at Kisame, who had, by then pulled out his greatsword.

The two blade-wielders clashed, their individual weapons sparking violently off each other, as the bandages around Kisame's greatsword ripping off gradually and revealing a shiny blue surface, covered by large scale-like plates. Naruto paid them no heed, continuing his assault, if not even faster, in the face of his new discovery. Kisame too, did not seem to be holding back, and swung his blade in retaliation to Naruto's increased pace.

"Why aren't you using that other sword, kid?" snarled Kisame, as their blades locked. Naruto looked at him with an incredulous look on his face and teleported back, throwing a kunai into the ceiling above Kisame.

"I've read your file, 'S' ranked criminal Kisame. I've read all of your files, all of you from the Akatsuki." Muttered Naruto, suddenly disappeared and materialized above Kisame's head, where he began a rapid descent, his chakra weighted boots adding ever so slightly to the acceleration, as his twin blades swung downwards in a wide arc, forcing Kisame to step back, to avoid being chopped into beef jerky.

"So you know about Samehada, huh? I'm touched." Growled Kisame, charging forward and making a full turn, swinging his sword from the added momentum and narrowly missing Naruto, who briefly teleported his way out of the room and, in a swift action, teleported back instantly, his arms already halfway into a pincer attack, which bounced neatly off a now fully exposed Samehada.

Naruto and Kisame faced each other, one with a face of deep concentration and the other with an excited grin. Naruto's legs tensed, when suddenly, the wall behind Kisame exploded outwards, and a spiraling blue sphere shot through, drilling itself into Kisame's left arm, eliciting a barely controlled shout. Jiraiya stepped nimbly through the hole in the wall, as Kisame spun to face him, then shifting back around again to parry an attack from Naruto.

Kisame cursed slightly, shooting out the doorway into the corridor, where Sasuke was being held up to a wall by Itachi. Kisame jumped to Itachi's side, and Itachi dropped the limp Sasuke, who seemed to be convulsing, his eyes wide from fatigue, for some reason. Itachi and Kisame conversed briefly, before dodging aside, to avoid Rasengans from both of Jiraiya's outstretched hands. Itachi glanced briefly at Kisame's bleeding left arm and seemed irritated as he glared at a nearby wall.

Naruto gasped slightly as the wall burst into black flames, but composed himself, soon recognizing them for what they were, as the two cloak wearing criminals escaped out the large hole in the wall.

Naruto turned aside, to see Jiraiya tending to Sasuke, who, other than his strange psychological state, seemed to only have suffered minor injuries, that is, nothing severely life compromising. Turning to the hole, where black flames still blazed, Naruto squinted, and, when he was sure that the two Akatsuki were out of sight, sighed, and crumpled at the foot of a wall.

000

Naruto watched lazily as Sasuke's body was laid upon a stretcher, and hefted by four field medics recently arrived from Konoha, along with an entourage of six Anbu, five of whom had gone searching for Itachi and Kisame. The lone Anbu stared at Naruto for a while, and, bending down, gave him a brief once-over.

"Well done, Naruto…" came a feminine voice from inside the Anbu's mask.

"Yuugao-san!" cried Naruto cheerfully, his weary face breaking into a faint yet genuine smile.

"Managed to hold off an 'S' ranked criminal…all on your own, huh." Said Uzuki Yuugao, to Naruto's smiling face.

"Hehe…it was just luck." Said Naruto, pausing slightly. "I'm sorry about Hayate-san."

Yuugao tensed up a bit. "He was…He died doing… Doing his job. And that's the best thing he could have died doing… But…we'll find his murderer…"

Naruto nodded slightly and stood with Yuugao, to begin speaking about other things. He didn't want to bring up anymore bad memories, and he would later wonder why he had mentioned the deceased Gekkou Hayate in the first place.

000

The next day, Naruto, now well rested in another hotel, for the previous one having been damaged, its immense repair bill having been paid off by Konoha's high council. He and Jiraiya walked in relative silence, though this silence did not cover Jiraiya, who was chattering about senseless things, and how Junko was badly received, and whatnot. Naruto, meanwhile, was concentrating on his study of the Rasengan.

He had not even begun to master the second step, for his lack of basic Chakra control, a defect that he should not have had, as mentioned by some of the great medic ninja of Konoha. Naruto only remembered a miniscule amount of his past, before the 'incident'. Situational amnesia, they called it. Since it was situational, Naruto wondered, would his 'other' remember anything of it?

He could only remember two events. One of a yellow haired man speaking to him alongside a dark haired lady, both of whose faces were mysteriously blurred out from his memory. They had been speaking to him, he remembered their voices vaguely, but couldn't make out the dialogue. Perhaps part of the situational amnesia…They sounded frantic, though, and spoke to each other in hasty tones. There had been some commotion and Naruto vaguely remembered something, he didn't know what, happening at the time, perhaps a battle, of some sort. He remembered being extremely young, though, and wondered idly to himself about how he could remember so far back.

The second memory just consisted of a great red flash, and two great glowing red eyes opening behind an iron gate. There had been some great rumbling dialogue, but that too, was nothing but a blur. Naruto remembered nothing else of the five or six years before being put away. He suspected that his 'other' would know more, having been stuck in his subconscious for two years, but nevertheless was not too enthusiastic to be meeting, or letting anyone else meet 'him'.

Naruto pondered the reason to which he was thinking so deeply into matters he hadn't given a second thought to in the past two years. Maybe it was the peace and quiet…Naruto turned his full attention back to the balloon in his hand, but stopped, and looked up at Jiraiya, who seemed to be staring off into a distance, and was, for once, suspiciously quiet. Naruto followed his temporary teacher's eye line and came to rest on a relatively large town, much like the one wherein Itachi had 'approached' him.

"She was here. For a spell, at least, but now I'd expect she's gone over to that next city…" Jiraiya suddenly began smacking his head lightly. "Whassisplace. The place with the big castle. Never really bothered to remember the geography…"

Naruto rolled his eyes, and followed Jiraiya down a path leading away from the nearby town.

000

They spent a few more days in the wilderness, With Naruto making absolutely no progress in the Rasengan's second step, and Jiraiya doing absolutely nothing to help. It was a relatively acceptable cycle, and Naruto, no matter how tempted he was, never asked for any hints on how to do it. He had actually come to the conclusion that his attempting to learn it was redundant, because of simple lack of chakra control, but continued his efforts anyway, if not to spare Jiraiya the guilt that might, heavy emphasis on 'might', come if he had learned absolutely nothing, and the opportunity to improve his dismal chakra control.

It was somewhat of a strange sort of relief that came over Naruto as he and Jiraiya came to the 'city with the big castle'.

000

"You'd expect there to be signs with the name of this town somewhere…Tanbaku, was it?" said Jiraiya, his head whipping around swiftly. Naruto had stopped practicing his Rasengan to look around the area, which was obviously coated in history, from the great stone walls, to the big, crumbling castle-tower. Naruto thought back. 'crumbling'? The great castle that had been Jiraiya's only memory of the place was indeed falling, and in its wake emerged a strange shape, much akin to a serpent.

Naruto growled.

"Orochimaru." He muttered, shaking slightly, as if from rage. Jiraiya looked at him worriedly, then at the crumbling castle-tower. The serpentine shape had, of course, by then disappeared into the thick cloud of dust, but it had been there, for sure. Naruto began to run, ignorant to Jiraiya's sudden cry of "wait!", and, perhaps, ignorant to whatever else could have occurred, other than his goal.

Naruto sprinted swiftly through the maze of stone walls that made up the castle's base, heading quickly up the hill upon which the castle was situated and jumping up onto a wall as they became more frequent, and, perhaps, more infuriating to navigate. He was quickly joined by Jiraiya, who, by the looks of it, was faster than he had seemed.

They soon approached the now dissipating dust cloud to see two women standing there, their backs facing Naruto and Jiraiya's general direction. Naruto landed deftly behind the women and ran into the cloud, drawing both of his blades as he went. This course of action, however, was to no avail, as both the snake and its summoner, presumably Orochimaru, had already escaped, and were nowhere in sight. Naruto cursed angrily and struck one of the walls to his side, creating a rather large dent in it.

Jiraiya and the two women soon walked to where Naruto was standing, his blades now sheathed. He was looking angrily at the now setting sun, his eyes squinted to protect from the sun's light. Sensing Jiraiya's presence behind him, he turned, and upon seeing Jiraiya's female guests, bowed briskly.

"It is an honor, Lady Tsunade." Said Naruto, a slight edge still left in his voice, perhaps dulled slightly at the inconvenience of Orochimaru's escape.

"Who's this guy, Jiraiya?" asked Tsunade, looking at Naruto lazily.

"My new apprentice." Said Jiraiya simply.

"Doesn't look half as good as your last one, but then again…" started Tsunade.

"Lady, please, in all respect, do not judge me." Muttered Naruto, in a cold voice.

A hush fell upon the assembled group, with Tsunade looking at Naruto with an annoyed expression and Naruto looking around sharply, as if to see if Orochimaru had been hiding.

"Let's go get a drink, then you can hear Konoha's request." Said Jiraiya, to a snort from Tsunade.

"You're buying." Said tsunade pointedly.

000

As they sat around the table, Naruto looked into his reflection in his cup of tea. They had been bantering nonstop about some matter or another, though none of which was important, or relevant to the mission. Naruto himself had wondered why Jiraiya was so obviously trying to stall for time or perhaps delay the inevitable. They were just going to ask Tsunade to return to Konoha, to be perhaps a field medic, or a teacher of future field medics…

"On to my main point." Said Jiraiya, whose cup of sake seemed untouched. "The village of Konoha wants to appoint you…"

Naruto sighed deeply.

"…Hokage."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he looked up from his cup, a barely contained and nigh-unholy fury visible in his blue eyes.

"The Third has only been dead for the better part of a week and they're already looking for a replacement? THIS is your, no our mission? How can you forget the Third so DAMNED easily?" started Naruto, facing Jiraiya with a stare that could have frozen a demon.

"We need leaders, Naruto, and the council had no sway with the…" began Jiraiya.

"Wait, wait." Muttered Tsunade, looking mildly bored.

All eyes on the table were on her.

"I don't want the job. It's stupid, and disgustingly pointless. Only a Freaking moron would want to be a…" began Tsunade, obviously ignoring Naruto's growing fury.

"Say ONE more word and when I'm done with you, there won't be a you to continue as Hokage!" growled Naruto, in a strange double voice.

"Shut it, runt. Being Hokage is a thankless crap of a job." Said Tsunade, who suddenly found herself facing the tip of a glowing yellow blade.

"I will not lower myself to fighting a bar fight. You will fall outside." Said Naruto, his voice frighteningly calm. Jiraiya shrunk away from Naruto, not even daring to attempt to stop the duel, while Tsunade's companion, an attractive black-haired girl, gulped worriedly.

"Bring it, twit."

000

Naruto and Tsunade stood at opposing corners of a desolate street, Naruto holding his Raijin sword, and Tsunade staring lazily at her opponent. Jiraiya and Tsunade's companion looked on worriedly, though both were slightly frightened for Tsunade, Jiraiya for his skills and the girl for his cold and intense desire to harm her master. The fight began with Naruto throwing out a kunai calmly, and watching in amusement as tsunade caught it, and opened her mouth, as it to begin some sort of speech against his efforts.

Tsunade's eyes widened as Naruto appeared right in front of her, his blade already In the middle of a downwards falling slash. Tsunade leapt aside, dropping Naruto's kunai as if it were some sort of disease.

"Hiraishin? Who taught him…" she began, but gasped slightly as Naruto appeared again in front of her, his blade thrust forward, gouging into Tsunade's right arm. She cried out, and with a mighty slam, smacked Naruto into the side of a building, causing cracks and eventual collapse of the structure's entrance, where Naruto had landed. Tsunade cried out as the aftereffects of the raijin blade came into play, that is, electricity pulsing throughout the body. Ripping out the blade, Tsunade leaned against a wall to stabilize herself, dropping Naruto's Raijin, but not noticing him running around the area, pausing slightly at certain areas.

Naruto soon appeared next to his fallen Raijin, retrieving it and spinning around, performing an impressive sideway-sweep, which was narrowly dodged by Tsunade. He teleported away and suddenly appeared at a place rather far away from Tsunade.

"N-no…" he whimpered, holding his head suddenly. He dropped his Raijin, leaning against the side of a building for support. He crumpled to his knees, and began to mutter to himself, his left hand reaching slowly for this pouch, where, the remedy to his sickness presumably lay. He quickly grabbed a syringe and stuck it hastily and with a small squeak into the side of his neck, forcing it all the way in, and causing Jiraiya and Tsunade's companion to shift in discomfort.

Tsunade, meanwhile, had begun to walk towards Naruto, picking up his discarded Raijin as he struggled to regain control of his breath.

"Fluphenazine? Then you must be..." She muttered, picking him up by the neck. Suddenly, though, Naruto's eyes shot open, and in his right hand began the beginnings of a Rasengan, that is, excessive energy discharge. Unfortunately, it stopped there. The discharge rocked them both apart, with Tsunade being knocked into a nearby tree and Naruto knocked clear across the area.

"Rasengan, too? Jiraiya, you need to…" Tsunade growled, looking viciously at a quivering Jiraiya.

Tsunade walked slowly to where Naruto lay, his condition mysteriously worse, even though the hits sustained were minimal.

"I told you. I don't want this job." Muttered Tsunade, gritting her teeth and dropping the Raijin onto Naruto's lap.

Tsunade walked away slowly, joined immediately by her companion. Suddenly, Naruto teleported in front of Tsunade, staggering slightly.

"You disrespected the Hokage name…You…" said Naruto, struggling to stand.

"Yeah, so what?" said tsunade, though her expression had softened somewhat, as she laid her hand upon the wound in her arm, and began to heal it.

"The Third was a Hokage…You disrespect him…and your…grandfather…Do you deserve…that?" Naruto finished, pointing feebly at Tsunade's neckline, where a necklace hung.

Tsunade growled slightly and poised for a punch, but suddenly stopped, glaring straight at Naruto, who was almost to his knees.

"Fine, if you can prove that you're not disrespecting the Hokage either, master the Rasengan in a week, and I'll give you this necklace and become the Hokage, with you as my successor!" said Tsunade, her smile but a mask of finely controlled anger.

"That…has nothing…to do…with…the Hokage…And…" began Naruto, his voice failing him just then, as he collapsed to the ground. "I didn't ask for anything." Flashed through his mind, as he fell into unconsciousness, his last visible picture the green necklace that he had not wagered anything against, but was wagering anyway.

000

Naruto awoke to bright light, streaming in from a window opposite where he lay motionless. Naruto looked around slowly, noticing Tsunade's apprentice asleep on a chair next to his bed. Naruto rubbed his neck slowly, feeling perhaps for any sign of the remnants of a hole. There were none. Naruto next began to examine himself, noting his having changed into lose fitting nightwear, much like a hospital patient. Naruto looked around, spying a clock, from which he found out the time, ten 'o' clock. He also found his eye on a calendar, where he noted, with some distaste, that it had been a week since he had last been awake. Naruto idly wondered about Tsunade's bet, sighing slightly at his memory of what a fool he had made of himself.

Tsunade's apprentice woke with a slight jerk next to him, shaking her head and looking around sharply. She turned to Naruto, her eyes wide, then to the clock, then to her right-hand side, where a bed seemed ruffled. She began to stand hurriedly and walk out of the room. Naruto took the time to look around, and noticed that he was in a hotel room, from a set of two keys on the bedside table. Naruto slowly got to his feet and noted that his clothes, as well as his equipment, had been placed neatly on a nearby chair. The implications of his having had his clothes removed by someone else had not kicked in yet, but Naruto expected it would, eventually. Suddenly, Tsunade's assistant/companion walked back into the room.

She fussed around slightly, and turned quickly as Naruto began to change. She went into the bathroom and Naruto could hear the shifting of a curtain being moved. Naruto swiftly put on his clothes, calmly noting that they smelled cleaner, and realized as well that he smelled cleaner as well. The implications of that had also not entered his mind yet, but they would, eventually. Naruto walked calmly into the bathroom, to almost be bowled over by Tsunade's apprentice.

"Orochimaru made a deal with Tsunade to heal his cursed arms, and I think she's going to go through with it!" she cried, her face frantic.

Naruto tensed up and with a swift turn, grabbed his three weapons and a few kunai, and shot out of the window. Orochimaru would pay, and if Tsunade was in cahoots with him…

Naruto's teeth ground against each other.

Then she would die.

---

Thank you for the reviews! Slow week, huh? Please continue to review…please? Self esteem more words!

Q and A time.

**Q & A**

**Why is Naruto acting so screwy? **

He's conflicted. On one hand, he is angered at Konoha and Jiraiya for, as he sees it, forgetting the Third Hokage very easily, but on the other hand, he is intelligent enough to know that Konoha needs leadership, most of all during the current situation, in which troops and resources are limited, thus his heart and mind are literally in a massive conflict.

**Why'd you skip the second town and the week-long Rasengan training?**

I find that those two parts, along with many other parts I've cut to be very useless to the basic plot. Also, I find that they would be repetitive. Seeing as both would have to be in a third person view following Naruto, all I could write was about how he would try and fail to attempt the Rasengan.

**Why bring up Naruto's past now?**

To tell you the truth, it's really more of a method to help me fill up the blanks, as I had very little to write. But I've decided to link it up to a later point, that will occur soon.

**Will Naruto master the Rasengan?**

Will be answered next chapter.

**How are you planning to change Naruto's and Tsunade's relationship?**

Don't really know yet, but don't expect it to be identical to the Anime/Manga one.

**Fluphenazine?**

It's a neural sedative, I believe, and a strong one, I think. Tsunade has a very alert mind when it comes to these things, but she may be wrong…a.k.a I didn't do my research very well, either.

**Your facts are wrong!**

If they are, please correct me.

**Beta readers?**

I'm actually searching for one…

---

I have a few questions for you guys too.

What time period is Naruto set in generally?

If IE ends, would you prefer me to continue after the timeline with the same IE story or start an entirely new sequel?

And, not related directly to the story, is there a program by which names of songs may be found and instantly placed upon each track from an original bought CD? I just got a game soundtrack and it's in Japanese, and they don't allow me to rename…not to mention it'd take too long…120 tracks, four discs. Whee.

If I have over 200 people on story alert, then why am I getting so few reviews? PLEASE SHOWER YOUR PRAISE, comments and criticism UPON ME! Thank you.

Disregard last question if you find it offensive…please?

Good Night, everyone.

P.S like the new text layout?


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Désastre

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Fifteen: Désastre**

_---_

_Naruto tensed up and with a swift turn, grabbed his three weapons and a few kunai, and shot out of the window. Orochimaru would pay, and if Tsunade was in cahoots with him…_

_Naruto's teeth ground against each other._

_Then she would die._

_---_

Naruto's only goal was Orochimaru's head on a silver platter, and the deaths of those who had been assisting him in his actions. He felt that that would be fair payment for the hundreds who had been slain for his disgusting experiments, and for the death of two kages, one of whom had been Naruto's closest friend. His eyes glared unceasingly straight ahead, his target remarkably clear, even though he had not even been told its location. Perhaps the great big two-headed snake in the horizon gave it away.

000

Naruto's footsteps never slowed, even as he neared the battleground. The snake, which undoubtedly belonged to Orochimaru, seemed to be writhing in a great murky pool of mud, unable to move itself out, as Naruto found himself extremely near the great snake now, so much so that he noted that everyone's eyes were on him, including the great beast's. The Snakes seemed to hiss in some sort of twisted remembrance, perhaps because of his previous slaying of a snake.

Naruto frowned as one of the two figures leapt off one of the snake's head to land somewhere behind Naruto. Naruto didn't bother looking around, for he had already caught a glance of the newcomer, and, though it surprised him a bit, it wasn't too much of a revelation. Naruto sighed slowly as he felt the slight heat of a chakra blade on the front of his neck.

"Yakushi Kabuto, your consorting with Orochimaru will bring you nowhere." Said Naruto, suddenly stepping back, grabbing Kabuto's wrist, and, with his palm, slamming hard into Kabuto's elbow, flipping him over and onto the grass-covered plain. Naruto looked up slowly, noting that the Snake and the other two beasts had begun to fight. Naruto looked down again, and let Kabuto go, turning around and dashing towards a rock, swerving neatly behind it, to find Kabuto tucked into the shade. Kabuto cursed and jumped away, closely followed by Naruto. Naruto suddenly jumped towards Kabuto, grabbing his shoulder, then kicked swiftly back off, just as Kabuto's kunai flashed in front of him.

Naruto smirked and teleported in front of Kabuto, spinning in midair and giving a mighty kick, probably breaking a rib or two, and sending Kabuto flying. Naruto somersaulted and landed deftly near where Kabuto was due to land, and just as he did, made him subject to another roundhouse, which sent him hurtling at a rock. Naruto then charged forward and, with immense speed, slammed Kabuto into said rock, creating cracks in both the rock, and, undoubtedly, Kabuto's bones. Naruto began to walk away, but turned and frowned, as he saw Kabuto stagger to his feet and grin. Suddenly, Naruto felt a chakra scalpel enter his back, and watched rather impassively as blood began to ooze out in large amounts.

Naruto shifted his Raijin, and faced it towards Kabuto's kage bunshin, activating it and dispelling it immediately. The clone burst into smoke, and Naruto, his wound already regenerating itself, walked slowly towards Kabuto. Naruto shook his head and charged. Kabuto had, by then healed himself slightly, but was still in no condition to fight anyone, let alone Naruto. Naruto's Raijin hit no vital points, but with two deft swipes, Naruto had rendered Kabuto's arms unusable, mainly because they had no fingers left. Naruto deactivated his raijin and kicked Kabuto's writhing form in the head for good measure, eliciting a stifled scream as Kabuto looked at his hands in horror, finally letting loose a hoarse cry.

Naruto turned his attention towards the three battling Sannin, to note that Jiraiya was fighting with sluggish moves, and the occasional jutsu performed seemed sub-standard. Was the man having a hangover? Orochimaru soon caught the upper hand, and kicked Jiraiya harshly in the ribs, forcing him aside and kneeing him in the stomach, grabbing him with his long tongue by the neck, and throwing him near the swampy area, presumably for the snakes to eat. Naruto growled, and leapt after Jiraiya's form, Performing a Hiraishin based upon an old seal he had planted on Jiraiya, and appearing behind the old man, pushing him forward before he plunged into the snake's strike-range.

"Heeey, thanks, Naruto…" said Jiraiya, staggering slowly to his feet.

Naruto merely nodded, and charged forward towards Orochimaru, ignoring Jiraiya's sudden cry of 'wait'. Naruto growled, and teleported towards the two remaining Sannin, based on an old seal placed on Tsunade during their fight. He appeared next to her and, activating his Raijin, began a heated duel of blades, his sword against Orochimaru's Kusanagi, which he seemed to be operating with his tongue.

Tsunade could only look on in disbelief as Naruto fended the Sannin off, adding the occasional kick to his attack routine, he almost managed to score a few hits as Orochimaru suddenly sidestepped and jumped aside, narrowly avoiding Naruto's blade, and with a flick of his sword, disarmed Naruto and opened an incredibly large gash on Naruto's wrist.

Naruto cursed as Orochimaru charged forward, jumping aside as his healing factor kicked in, stopping the bleeding and basically healing the cut. Orochimaru dropped and rolled, spinning and whirling, his blade flashing in the sunlight.

Naruto could only avoid, not having any opportunities to attempt anything, until he was finally given an opportunity. He grabbed Orochimaru's tongue, reeling him in and kicking him in the stomach, doubling him over. Naruto, as if in some sort of retribution, kneed Orochimaru harshly again in the stomach, punching his face as he went. Suddenly, though, Orochimaru's tongue wrapped around Naruto, like a coiled python, and though Orochimaru couldn't use his sword, his tongue itself, in its constrictions, would likely finish Naruto off anyway. Naruto's now-healed right hand was the only thing that was free. Naruto somewhat resigned himself to his fate, as pictures of his life flashed past.

Suddenly, A picture of Sakura being thrown into a tree widened Naruto's eyes. Then came the killer intent exuded by Orochimaru at their first meeting, then, he saw the Third's smiling face, as he gave up the ghost, dying at the hand of this very villain. Naruto suddenly began to collect energy in his right hand, focusing it through sheer willpower into a spherical form. Orochimaru's eyes widened as he realized what was occurring. Jiraiya, staggering towards the scene, and tsunade, propped up by her newly-arrived apprentice, could only watch in amazement as a blue sphere, somehow containing in it a spiraling mass of chakra appeared in Naruto's hand.

Orochimaru tightened his hold on Naruto, to no avail, as the sphere began to form even more, and finally began to exude a bright blue glow. Orochimaru gasped as he felt his tongue being pushed off, and gagged slightly as Naruto's left hand burst out of his 'tongue prison' and grabbed Orochimaru's neck, tightening just as Orochimaru's tongue had tightened on his own body. Orochimaru's tongue loosened, and he began to struggle, to no avail as Naruto's Rasengan burst into his stomach.

The strength of a million tornadoes charged into Orochimaru's stomach, eviscerating it into fragments charred by chakra heat and throwing Orochimaru backwards, opening up the ground below him, and knocking him into a nearby boulder, which shattered from the impact. Orochimaru now had a huge gaping hole in his stomach, and he gasped heavily from it. Naruto, standing at the edge of a crack in the ground, smirked slightly and looked around.

"Where are you, you freaking bastard-twit." Shouted Naruto, walking over to his sword and picking it up, as the Orochimaru-with-a-gaping-hole dissolved into mud.

"Hahahaha. Very impressive, Naruto. I do wonder how you mastered that technique…But then again, you are HIS son…" said Orochimaru, appearing from the ground.

Naruto growled, but suddenly stopped, as he felt the Kusanagi plunged into his back, He turned, only to have it leave his body via a cut from his wound, eliciting vast amounts of blood. Orochimaru plunged his blade into Naruto's heart, and twisted, as Naruto was left gasping, drowning in his own blood. He was vaguely aware of his healing factor kicking in, and of the sword being removed, forcibly, and he could vaguely see Orochimaru being pushed aside, but it was all too late. He was dying now, and he had failed. How had he fallen for a two-kage bunshin trick so easily…?

000

"_Wake up." _Said an ethereal voice from inside his head.

"Is…that you?" said Naruto, only able to comprehend a vague light.

"_No, I'm David Hasslehoff. Of course it's me, you little crap-stain." _Said the voice, Naruto's 'other'.

"I'm going to die now."

"_Shut up. If you die, I'm going to die too. Wake the hell up."_

"How? How can I…" said Naruto, his voice faltering slightly.

"_Take my hand, here. Take it. Take it, you little prick!" _screamed the other voice, holding out a hand.

Naruto grabbed the outstretched hand.

000

Naruto's eyes flew open, and a grin spread across his face as he sat up, to see Tsunade in front of him as Orochimaru rained blow after blow of his Kusanagi upon her. Naruto was vaguely aware of his still bleeding heart, and held up his hand in a stiff position, much to the horror of Orochimaru, who had, by now, noticed Naruto's awakening.

"Gogyo Fuuin!" cried Naruto, his fingers, corresponding to the seals, slammed into his stomach, as he began to laugh lightly, feeling his Healing factor go into overdrive, regenerating his heart and sealing his cuts. Naruto stood slowly to his feet, his fiery demon chakra exploding from his pores, engulfing him in a white flame. Naruto stepped forward, the grass at his feet charring from the intense heat, and the grass around him drying up . Orochimaru charged forward over Tsunade's unconscious form, his Kusanagi poised to thrust, when suddenly, Naruto caught the blade.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stop just dropping by like this, Clarice…" said Naruto, his smile still present on his face. "…People will say we're in love."

Naruto grabbed the blade away from Orochimaru, reaching out and grabbing his retreating tongue, an act that Orochimaru almost cried out at, because of the fact that Naruto was still aflame. Naruto spun around, kicking Orochimaru at the side of his face and sending him flying, only to return suddenly when Naruto gave his tongue a harsh tug.

"I feel Pretty..." Sand Naruto.

Naruto grabbed Orochimaru's neck and squeezed harshly, pausing slightly to knee him in his crotch, eliciting a groan from the snake summoner.

"Oh so pretty…"

Naruto backhanded Orochimaru and set him down, as he staggered upon his own feet. Naruto suddenly jump-kicked Orochimaru, who flew into the air.

"I feel Pretty…"

Naruto's aura suddenly sprouted appendages, which grappled on to Orochimaru's legs and held him aloft.

"And witty…"

The appendages slammed Orochimaru harshly into the scorched ground, over and over again until Orochimaru's head, the area upon which the most impacts had occurred, was crimson with blood from various gashes.

"And…" said Naruto, pausing a bit and looking thoughtful.

more appendages sprouted, and grappled on to Orochimaru's Arms, holding him aloft as he gagged, and blood rolled down his face.

"Briiight…"

Naruto picked up the Kusanagi sword.

"And I pity…"

Naruto threw the blade at Orochimaru's chest, watching with a grin as the blade entered the chest and exited through the back, creating somewhat of a blood-fountain as the ground below Orochimaru's body was stained red.

"Any boy who isn't me toniiiiight!" finished Naruto, his appendages retreating into his aura, as Orochimaru began to fall. Naruto rushed forward at a thunderous speed, activating his Raijin, and with a mighty stab, impaling Orochimaru by his chest into a nearby rock, watching as blood flowed down the rock, forming some sort of twisted pattern. Naruto twisted the blade and brought it out in a slash, separating Orochimaru's right arm from his body.

"No screaming? What a dull crowd." Muttered Naruto, his grin, ever present and now even more malevolent.

Orochimaru's butchered form slid slowly down the rock, leaving a grotesque trail of blood behind him, as Naruto walked off. Naruto looked around him, as the chakra flames continued to burn. He shook his head slightly and grinned.

"Oh, my…This can't be good for my complexion." He muttered, his fingers once again in a seal.

"Gogyo Kaiin!" cried he, as the flames died out, and the world faded to black.

000

Naruto awoke, mysteriously, to the sound of a crackling campfire. He sat up slowly, to find himself on the ground, while a figure, swathed in clack, with small bits of crimson trailing off, sat at the fire itself, poking at it with a stick with one hand, and roasting a marshmallow with the other. He was seated on a log, and didn't even move as Naruto stood and shakily began to approach.

"_I was like Chuck Norris on Prozac..." _Said the figure suddenly, taking a big chunk out of his marshmallow, and tossing his stick into the fire.

Naruto stood motionless as the figure stood, still swathed in blackness, which soon receded into a sort of long coat, still with bits of crimson flaking off now and then. The figure turned around, exposing his face, which was, basically, Naruto's. This didn't surprise Naruto much, as he had known that the 'other' was basically him, albeit different in terms of personality, and social graces. On the 'other's face was a wicked grin, sardonic and strangely cold, that struck Naruto as extremely frightening, though he didn't know why.

"_Your first question. How could you hold me back during the incident in Tanbaku?" _said the 'other', suddenly plopping himself down upon a white sofa that had appeared, much to the amazement of Naruto, who found himself seated as well, on a black sofa opposite his 'other's. Naruto looked out a suddenly appearing window, to see a strange flickering, noting that the 'campsite' had disappeared.

"_We'll get to that soon. As I was saying. The answer to that question is that you, my friend, are getting stronger." _Said the 'other'.

"But…"

"_You don't get to talk, wimpy. This is the only time I get to insult you and by fiery doom you're going to take it. Besides, We have all the time in the world…Now listen. There is a theory that the stronger the 'Oedipus Rex' complex during childhood, the mightier the super-ego is in adulthood. Now, you never knew your mother." _Said the 'other', seeming distant for a moment, seemingly ignoring Naruto's own look of sadness_. "So you, the super-ego, were weak to start with…Am I going too fast for you?"_

Naruto looked at the 'other' closely, to see that his grin had returned, and that a small cup of a bubbly black beverage had appeared next to him, on a table that had not been there before.

"_Now, as I told you before, your super-ego was made weak by multiple doses of pure unadulterated crap, from the hillbillies back at home. Therefore, you were super, super, super weak." _Saidthe 'other' , downing a great mouthful of the liquid_. "But now, you have people around you that you care for, and who you believe care for you, so, your super ego is 'feeding' so to speak, on these new positive emotions you're feeling. It's not making me weaker, because good stuff appeals to the Id as well, albeit on a smaller scale than, say the desire to kill everyone who pisses you off. But it's definitely making you stronger."_

Naruto refrained from asking about the 'you believe' line as the screen adjacent to their chairs suddenly flickered to life, revealing a blonde man wearing sunglasses and a long coat on one side, and an obviously hastily drawn blonde-haired stick figure. Suddenly, both began moving, as the coat wearing man began to smoke a cigarette looking generally impressive, and a few yellow arrows labeled 'goog stuff' began to point towards and head to the stick figure, making it bigger.

"_Shut up. Anyway, you're now able to suppress me, though don't think about doing it without your so called 'medication'…hehehe…Actually, you should try that some time. I'd like some personal time with…" _said the 'other', stopping when he saw Naruto's glare. With a mutter of 'spoilsport', he continued. _"On to your second question. How could you do the Rasengan. Now, I'd like you to know, and will take great joy in saying, that all of your problems are caused by yourself."_

Naruto twitched slightly, but stayed quiet.

"_Your so-called inability to do any sort of chakra control is nothing. It's like hypochondria, only it's become a mental block you've put on yourself. Heaven knows that you're perfectly able to do any sort of Chakra control, and excel at it, if given the correct incentive to break that mental barrier, though you're too stupid to try." _The 'other' ignored Naruto's look. _"You want proof? Feh. You thought the Hiraishin required sheer willpower? You were…are stupid. It requires precise chakra control in even more precise bursts. It's more complicated that the Rasengan, and you do it on a regular basis."_

"What?" muttered a shocked Naruto, much to the 'other's amusement.

"_Your mental barrier stems from that incident with the red eyes…You don't remember it now, but your subconscious does. You'll learn to overcome it, I suppose. Some day." _Said the 'other', smiling into his glass. _"third question. Where are you. This is your basic consciousness, supposedly the domain of the stupid dormant ego. I command this realm of your mind, because I am still stronger. So I can shape it to anything I will."_

Naruto jumped as the landscape turned apocalyptic, with lava flowing everywhere. It suddenly transformed into a brightly coloured room, then into a zoo, then into a great white room with racks filled with strange weapons, then, finally back into the white room with two sofas.

"_Ta-daa. Hehe. Next question. Why am I telling you this crap? Well, I need you to know all that I know, so that in the event that…." _Said the 'other', looking off to the side suddenly.

Naruto looked strangely startled, when the 'other' suddenly began speaking again.

"_Heh. I'm beginning to enjoy control of this screwy place. But I'll still be coming out when I can. I'm turning a deadly pale pallor, and it can't be a good sign, especially for my sex life…If you ever get one. I, I mean. Heheh." _The 'other' muttered, smirking as he finished_. "Well. It's been fun. Now, I've got to be getting back to my reading. Perverto's literature is actually quite fascinating."_

Naruto was unable to ask how he had gotten his hands upon one of Jiraiya's books, as a great white flash illuminated the room, and his eyes opened. Naruto could have sworn that his 'other's parting mood had not been as cheerful as he had been led to believe.

000

Naruto awoke to bright sunshine. He glanced out the window, and noted that it was not the window he had glanced out of before. He mulled the thought of being in hospital so much for a while, then turned aside, to see his clothes neatly piled upon each other. That familiar feeling of strange embarrassment seemed to return for a moment, and strange thoughts came to his mind, but they were put down quickly by something, perhaps his strong moral compass.

"_Don't kid yourself. I'm currently dominant facet. Stick your needles in before I come out there and start doing what's illustrated in the thoughts I'm sending you."_ Came an echoing voice, startling Naruto, who immediately retrieved one of the syringes from his backpack and stuck it into his neck, wincing slightly as he felt the other's voice retreat into an inaudible whisper in his mind. Naruto shook his head and stretched a bit, looking around the room, his eyes eventually coming to rest on a glistening emerald green gemstone, attached to a small string.

Naruto's eyes widened considerably as he noted what it was. He had mastered the skill, he supposed, but thought deeply to himself about the other part of the bargain. Tsunade as Hokage? Naruto sighed and looked out the window, staring rather blankly at the low buildings that made up the neighborhood. He turned suddenly as three people came into the room, led by a brightly smiling Tsunade. Her apprentice trailed swiftly behind, and behind her was a man with graying, short hair. He had a pleasant smile on his face and seemed to be chatting with Tsunade's apprentice, whose name still eluded Naruto.

"You're finally awake, I see." Said Tsunade, stopping at the side of Naruto's bed. " I don't believe I've introduced my apprentice, Shizune."

"Why are we not in Konoha?" asked Naruto, his tone neutral.

"I'm here to settle some important business. I'll take on the Hokage role as soon as we get back…" said Tsunade, pausing for a moment and eyeing Naruto. "…Assuming you have no objections?"

Naruto looked rattled, but his face softened, and he looked out the window, the memory of Tsunade protecting him from Orochimaru's blade jumping into his mind, conflicting strangely with the memory of the Third's final moments. Naruto stared out the window for what seemed like a long while, before turning around and grasping the necklace on the table next to his bed, and picking it up. He looked at Tsunade, and with a faint smile, nodded. Tsunade grinned.

"Let's have a celebration! Shizune, bring out the Sake!" shouted Tsunade, who suddenly caught sight of the graying old man, and turned towards Naruto. " This is my Business here. His name is Boss Jirocho of the Wasabi family, and I owe him something. Not good for a Hokage to owe things, is it?"

Naruto looked at her quizzically, and fastened her necklace, now his property, around his neck as two men came running through the door.

"Blonde lady! You owe us money!"

Naruto twitched and sighed.

000

Is this a satisfactory ending to the Tanbaku thing? Next chapter will be the journey to the Tea country, after which I'll be taking a three or four week breaker, because of my final year examinations, curse them so.

Thank you for reviewing, all of you! Please continue to support me, and don't forget to ask whatever you want. Please leave signed-in reviews so that I can respond!

I hope the conversation with the 'other' wasn't too brief. I know you guys wanted more Psychonaru exposure.

Good Night, folks.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Inquiétude

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Sixteen: Inquiétude**

Naruto's feet shuffled slowly in the dust, stirring up small puffs of dirt as they went. In front of him were Jiraiya and Tsunade, heartily chatting away about matters long past. Shizune, also following with them, meekly added in the occasional comment, but only when Tsunade had nothing to say. He wondered about their states of mind, mainly. Had Tsunade no idea about how much responsibility she would have to take up? Why, just the day before she had immediately volunteered an unfortunate genin team for the Wasabi clan's problem, and offered to waive the cost in exchange for The Wasabi clan's leader, Boss Jirocho's own waiving of a debt long unpaid.

And she hadn't even been given the title yet.

Then again, the week they had spent in that town waiting for Naruto to recuperate probably gave Council Member Homura the chance to organize something. Tsunade would likely be 'crowned' immediately after they reached Konoha, perhaps with a break of maybe one or two days. The council was like that. Terribly efficient and mostly looking out for the general welfare of Konoha. He had been to a council meeting before, and had met Homura. He had been a teammate of the Third's, and, by all accounts, had been a formidable Ninja, before his retirement. Homura had initially been curt, and rather impatient with Naruto, but soon warmed up after subsequent visits.

Naruto supposed that one could say that he and Homura were on generally good terms, though it wasn't him that had worried a young Naruto. It was the looks thrown at him by members of the civilian committee. They had seemed to truly resent his very being, a few even cursing at his presence in the room, nay, in Konoha! He supposed they had lost loved ones to the Kyuubi, but it never truly occurred to him why HE was being blamed. It was rather depressing, at first, to be all alone, but he had gotten used to it, and, even though he never socialized with anyone in his class, he had made many friends in Konoha's Ninja community.

He wondered how they'd take Tsunade's coronation…

000

Naruto smiled slightly as he viewed Konoha's great gates rise from the horizon. He noted that much of the damage done during the Sound-Sand alliance conflict had been cleared up, and the great holes in the wall almost totally repaired. Naruto grinned as he noted Anko standing idly by as a few male chuunin hastily carting planks off, hurrying to escape her snake-like eyes. Naruto waved, and she began to approach, smiling all the way.

"How are you, brat-o!" Anko said, ruffling Naruto's hair as Jiraiya and Tsunade walked on ahead to Konoha's now-opening gates.

"I'm alright…:" said Naruto, becoming silent for a while, before pointing at Tsunade's retreating form. "She's been elected Hokage."

"Yes, we know. The Council's been advertising the coronation, two days from now." Anko said, looking on thoughtfully. She then looked to Naruto and grinned. "I'll talk to you later, okay? I'm on duty today, looking after those builders…hehe."

Anko swiftly turned and marched off, shouting orders at the hapless chuunin, who had, in her absence, supposedly slowed their pace. Naruto shook his head, and headed for the gates.

000

Naruto walked in to thunderous applause, not for him, notably, but for Tsunade, who was surrounded by vast crowds of citizens, smiling and visibly moving into her role as a friend of the people. Naruto smiled, and walked quietly away, leaving Tsunade to the crowd, her future as Hokage obviously endorsed by the villagers, most of whom likely did not want to see the 'Kyuubi brat' during this time of rejoicing. Naruto decided, as he shuffled away, that he would stay home for the next few days. Wouldn't be prudent to bring upon them such a damper, during such a celebration, thought he, his visage apathetic and largely resigned, perhaps to a fate he had cut out for himself.

Naruto remembered nothing of any celebrations, as he had opted to stay indoors, while the villagers had launched their fireworks into the air, and danced, and drunken their holidays away. It was a mystery indeed why these normally placid individuals, content with their boring, uneventful lives, would spend the anniversaries of such great events in such disgusting social debauchery, with crime rates shooting up during the holidays, and rapes, and violence occurring on a regular basis, even by the occasional Ninja.

Holidays were usually formed around great events in the village's history, such as its founding, or the ending of the first or second great Ninja wars, but none were as celebrated as the vanquishing of the Kyuubi, greatest of the nine Demons and destroyer of many. It was also on this day that Naruto was born, which, now that he thought of it, had probably made him a prime candidate for being the holder of the Kyuubi. It also made him a bête noire during that event, moreso than others. He had once encountered a moderately large mob at the doors of the apartment, demanding he be brought out and slain before their eyes.

The crowd was mostly intoxicated, he had noted, but their intentions were obvious, and the alcohol had only revealed them. It was eventually put down by a few ANBU, accompanied by a group of special Jounin. Some damage had, however, been done to the building, and much of it, especially the holes and the graffiti, hadn't been fixed yet, if they were scheduled to be fixed at all. Then again, fixing the damage would be a foregone conclusion, as new mobs popped up every year, and the building was already as decrepit as they could get.

Naruto paused as he gazed up at the front of the building, eyeing the damage, his eyes wandering over to the foul painted words, and slowly made his way up to his apartment, somehow still thankful for the building, however damaged it was. It had been his only bastion for such a long time, and he had enjoyed his time there the most, perhaps, in his life. Then again. He couldn't remember much of it.

000

Naruto rested on his overstuffed sofa, glancing at his pack, now placed in a secluded corner of the room. He walked over and pulled from it a small stack of papers. He had been informed of Orochimaru's death from excessive blood loss, and the subsequent retrieval, along with the autopsy. It had revealed many things, from the looks of the report. Firstly, Naruto noted that though orochimaru's outward appearance was that of a man's, his skeletal structure and basic biological makeup, as well as his chromosomes, indicated that he was a female. Naruto abstained from looking at the report on orochimaru's genetalia, or lack of, whichever corresponded to the final report.

He flipped through the pages, noting the side-notes which mentioned orochimaru's body switching technique, providing him with a twisted form of immortality, which, when combined with skin grafting and cosmetic surgery, gave his opponents a feeling of doing battle with an undying enemy. That might have explained orochimaru's female features, though Naruto thought it strange that orochimaru had somehow made another living being consent to being his host.

Naruto frowned, angry at the numerous outrages that had been accounted for in a passage three pages long, documenting Orochimaru's most outstanding crimes. They ranged from massacre to illegal genetic testing and kidnap, to invasion of privacy and twenty-five hundred separate cases of murder.

Naruto tossed the stack of papers onto an adjacent coffee table, and massaged his temples slightly, rising and walking into his kitchen, to prepare something for dinner. He stopped suddenly, as loud knocking began to emanate from his door. Naruto sighed and headed towards the door, opening it at an angle, to look straight into the onyx-coloured eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto looked behind said boy, to see a rather twinkly-eyes Sakura, obviously asked by her idol to come.

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, opening his three locks with a single fluid movement and opening the door wide, standing to the side as Sasuke and Sakura walked in. Naruto promptly closed and re-latched the door again, heading again for his kitchen and re-emerging a few minutes later with a sandwich in his hand. He took a bit and looked towards his two teammates, who were still standing, walked over to his chair, and plopped himself down.

"Please sit." Said Naruto, looking them over.

"Did you have anything to do with Orochimaru's arrest?" said Sasuke, seating himself down on a chair opposite to Naruto's.

Naruto shrugged slightly.

"Answer me, damn you!" growled the Uchiha, frowning annoyedly.

Naruto took a large chunk out of his sandwich and eyes the Uchiha, then Sakura, who was also sitting an a nearby chair.

"Is that why you came here?" Naruto said, his tone apathetic and rather cold.

"So what if I did?" muttered the Uchiha, an indignant look on his face.

Naruto snorted.

"Wasted your trip. Jiraiya and our future Hokage did it." Naruto muttered amidst bites of his sandwich.

Sasuke stared at Naruto strangely.

"Don't you lie to us!" he said, his tone turning dangerous.

"You don't believe I did it, either, otherwise you wouldn't even dare to take that ridiculous tone with me." Said Naruto, staring lazily back at an indignant Sasuke.

Sasuke harrumphed and stood, making his way for the door. He stopped suddenly and turned.

"come by tomorrow morning, to the bridge. We have a mission…And unlock the door." Said Sasuke, folding his arms.

"You want some peanut butter? It's really tasty." Said naruto, rising to his feet and unlocking the door for Sasuke, who walked out without another word.

Naruto held the door for a while, but noted that Sakura hadn't followed Sasuke, and closed it, returning once again to his couch.

"And your mission here?" said Naruto, massaging his temple slightly.

"Why are you acting so cold?" said Sakura, a slightly hurt expression on her face.

"I'm not acting cold." Said Naruto pensively.

"You are. Have I done anything?" said Sakura, looking directly at Naruto's face.

"No, Sakura, you have not; now do you need something?" said Naruto, unconsciously shifting slightly in his seat.

"I wanted to see how you were. You've been gone a long time." Said Sakura, her eyes drooping slightly.

Naruto paused a while. Perhaps he had been rather brief.

"I'm alright. And you?" said Naruto, smiling suddenly.

"I've been continuing my training with Kurenai, the Jounin Kakashi got to train me." Said Sakura, slightly more lively.

And so it continued, the dialogue tossing between Naruto and Sakura, the occasional laugh, the banter carrying on, with a brief break, in which Naruto went to prepare a pot of tea. Naruto smiled only slightly throughout the entire conversation, though, listening intently and commenting where it was apt. It was not like their previous conversations, no, it was somewhat colder, as Sakura had said. Naruto couldn't understand why he couldn't speak to her as well as he could. His feelings of attraction were, somehow, not quite there anymore.

Naruto vaguely wondered why he wasn't so keen on their conversations anymore. Now there was a big feeling in the back of his head, telling him that thinking of Sakura as any more than a great friend, and a beautiful lady would be wrong. All feelings of embarrassment had disappeared, and any feelings of lust, that the 'other' had planted in his head now didn't affect him as much, if at all.

They ended their conversation on a light note, with Sakura quipping about a rumor of Tsunade's illusion jutsu failing in a public place before, and then exiting, leaving Naruto to contemplate on the outcome of what had just occurred.

000

Naruto awoke the next day, somewhat refreshed from a night of sleep. He prepared himself again, hefting his backpack, now loaded with fresh clothes and equipment. He had been lucky enough to have his clothes washed during his period of unconsciousness, likely by order of Tsunade, or her assistant. Naruto felt somewhat relieved that his team had been the one chosen by Tsunade to handle the Wasabi incident, which was the only possible mission available, being set up by Tsunade herself.

Naruto sighed and fingered his green necklace. He somehow couldn't bring himself to watch another person crowned Hokage, so soon after the Third's death. He had come to terms with it, if one could call it that, but it would take some getting used to. Naruto walked out of his apartment with another sigh, closing the door behind him and turning his key, to a satisfying 'click'.

000

Naruto met his teammates at Konoha's gates, looking up at them uneasily. He had been home for not more than a day, and now he was leaving again. They weren't even receiving commision for this mission, since it was free. Naruto looked at his Sasuke and Sakura seperately. They obviously didn't know about that wee little detail. Sakura was talking cheerfully to Sasuke, who was, as usual ignoring her in favor of a nearby tree or rock. Naruto eyed his surroundings, noting that Kakashi was actually on time, but was sleeping in a rather shady tree. Then again, this could be the daily routine.

"Kakashi, I can see you." Naruto said, eyeing the tree with a small frown on his face.

A rustle in the branches confirmed Naruto's statement and Kakashi, a small green leaf sticking strangely out of his hair, leapt to the ground, landing deftly at the foor of the tree, his one revealed eye half closed and his trademark mask pulled tight over his mouth. Sasuke and Sakura were now looking at him with dangerous glares, which Kakashi neatly shrugged off.

"Hey, hey. Go easy on me. It's supposed to be a holiday. I don't need or want to be up, but the new hokage's orders are law, I suppose…" Kakashi muttered, ending in a yawn.

Naruto watched as his teammates and his teacher bantered for a few minutes, retrieving from his bag a shiny red apple. He took a bite and chewed, as the rest of his team began to walk off, with Kakashi looking at him suddenly and waving over for him to follow. Naruto obliged him, quickening his pace until all four of them were on equal grounds, then slowing, to listen to Kakashi's bored conversation, and Sakura's spirited replies, accentuated with Sasuke's occasional snide remark. He stayed silent for the rest of the way.

000

They soon reached a small teahouse, a small stop on the way to their destination, The Wasabi territory in the country of Tea wasn't far away, but Sakura had been complaining, and Sasuke looked slightly weary, though he would never admit it. They entered said teahouse, laying down their packs and equipment at the sides of their table, and sitting down around said table. A kindly old lady walked over, and they ordered their food. Naruto found that they only served desserts, so he abstained, having not liked anything sweet other than fruits since his release from the white room. Possibly the result of some prior trauma that he couldn't remember.

Sakura was actively speaking to a bored looking Sasuke, while Kakashi tittered, eyes still fixated upon his novel. Naruto looked the room over, noting a cloaked individual sitting at a table across the room. The figure slowly rose, and began to move forward towards their table, his shadow casting a sinister silhouette as he passed the windows. Naruto was not preturbed, and sat quietly, though he still eyed the figure.

"Hello, beautiful." Said the figure, approaching and revealing the face of a young man. He smiled at Sakura, who looked up and seemed annoyed. Naruto's hand went calmly to the hilt of his Raijin, but then retreated, leaving Naruto to wonder why it had gone there in the first place.

"Get lost, creep." Sakura said, waving him off. The stranger frowned slightly and looked around the table, then back at Sakura.

"Hey, why don't you dump these creeps and…" He stopped as the Raijin was levelled to his eyes.

"Refrain from insisting on anything, lest I insist on your extermination." Said Naruto, his tone dreadfully cold and dangerous. This seemed to stop the man, who seemed intent on Naruto's weapon. Kakashi had since looked up from his novel, and seemed ready to stop anything from happening, while Sasuke simply sipped his tea. Sakura was looking back and forth from the man and Naruto, a worried look on her face.

"Where did you get that weapon?" said the youth, still eyeing the Raijin.

"That is my affair, and not yours." Said Naruto, his voice still low. "Now get lost."

"Where did you get that weapon!" said the youth, his tone rising.

"Leave us, or prepare to duel." Said Naruto, standing and retracting his blade.

There was a thick silence, and the youth seemed to wake up from some sort of daze, shaking his head and smiling widely again.

"Ahaha, right, right. See you!" he said, walking out of the door.

Naruto sat down again, just as the old woman came up, an apprehensive look on her face.

"It's not nice to fight with friends." She said, placing down her tray and distributing the food.

"He was not our 'friend'…" said Sasuke, to a surprised look from the old lady.

" Well, he asked me to put his bill on yours, so I assumed…" said The old lady, looking back and forth with a confused look on her face.

Sasuke and Naruto were already out the door, with Sakura and Kakashi following closely behind. A small pile of bills was placed upon the table, and much of the desserts had been taken. The old lady shook her head and shrugged. These ninja types were all crazy…

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke were hot on the tail of the stranger, who, having noticed them, seemed to have quickened his pace, rushing forward at an enormous speed. Naruto, not caught unaware, also quickened his pace, followed soon after by Sasuke, though neither of them could hope to match the stranger's pace. They soon fell vastly behind, as the escapee became but a vast plume of smoke on the distance.

"Don't worry…" said Naruto quietly as Sakura and Kakashi caught up, the team's luggage in their hands.

"We failed to catch him, damn it!" said Sasuke, cursing violently.

"He had the Wasabi symbol on his coat. We'll be seeing more of him, I'd think…" Naruto said, turning and nodding to his teammates, then beginning to walk forward again, soon followed by said teammates.

---

I don't know if this qualifies as a bona fide cliffhanger…

Thank you for the reviews and please send in as many as possible, to fill up the void for the next three weeks!

If you guys can remember, I have my finals.

Wish me luck and I'll be back in three to five weeks.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Jeu d'argent

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Seventeen: Jeu d'argent**

The road had not been kind to the intrepid group after their less-than-incredible meeting with the mysterious stranger. They'd had dogs attack them, three landslides and two pit-traps, the last of which were quite obviously man-made. Kakashi, ever the harsh disciplinarian, never truly warned them about any of the traps, even though he had obviously detected them. Yes, he was indeed a great, and impressive teacher both in mind, and looks. Indeed, the mere glimmer of his one eve could send millions of hapless females into a joyful sighing ritual. Indeed, he was truly a man amongst men, a teacher amongst teachers, and, indeed, a demigod among mortals.

"And Junko said to Ayane…Mmmmm…"

…

Naruto walked passively around the traps that he could see, sighing loudly as Sasuke fell into another. This was obviously the work of that troublemaker they had met at the bar. Perhaps it was their first impression, after all, one does not treat the man who sticks a lightning sword at your neck with tea and scones. However, Naruto couldn't help but worry for the welfare of the mission. Antagonizing a member of the very clan they had been hired to help hadn't been one of his shining moments, and Naruto wondered whether he'd regret it.

Then again, he thought, wincing as Sakura fell into another trap. The rest of the group was probably already regretting it…

---

Konoha's team Seven reached their destination, the capital of the Tea country a tired and rather ragged bunch. All except Kakashi, of course, who had vastly enjoyed the exercise of his Ninja skill. Oh, yes. And the exercise of his subordinates'. No, not their skills, them. He chuckled slightly as two piercing glares came his way.

"Those traps were the work of A Ninja." Said Naruto, in a matter-of-factly sort of way.

Sasuke and Sakura turned to him.

"How did you guess? Was it the Kunai or the shuriken stuck in my shirt?" said Sasuke, with a growl.

There was silence.

"The Kunai." Said Naruto in an apathetic tone, soon speeding up to catch a quickly advancing Kakashi.

Sasuke stood there for a while, then shook his head and began to step forward, followed soon after by Sakura.

---

At their appointed meeting spot, they were welcomed warmly by a subordinate of Boss Jirocho's. He was an old looking man accompanied by two burly looking bodyguards, one of whom was evidently a ninja, from the massive array of ninja equipment he carried around his waist. Indeed, to presume he was not a Ninja would be blatant ignorance of presented facts. Naruto was unconvinced.

"What're you lookin' at, kid?" said the big man, in a voice obviously designed to intimidate, perhaps trained over many years, and honed in a business where such traits are sought after, and, indeed, admired. Naruto stared straight at the man, his piercing gaze slightly shaking the man, obviously not used to such behavior from one of such a young age. Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura seemed to be oblivious to the hidden conflict, or had chosen to ignore it. They were chatting with the representative, and in Sasuke's case, glowering at random walls, who in his scope of mind, might have, perhaps, looked like his brother, as everything did when he was in such a mood.

"Nice equipment." Said Naruto suddenly, to a strangely placed sigh from the bodyguard and strange looks, from his teammates. The tension soon disappeared, and the bodyguard began to laugh rather awkwardly, though it soon became less so, when Naruto joined in, to raised eyebrows and scratched heads.

"Marvelous! It's good to see that we're all getting along!" exclaimed the Wasabi vassal, laughing slightly. He turned around to the corridor, where a young lady in a kimono waited. "Get some of that juice for the guests!"

"Juice?" asked Sakura.

"It's an ambiguous term for Sake here. Don't worry, you can ignore the age limit for a night, can't you?" At this, Kakashi perked up.

"I will not have you corrupting these children with your cheap booze!" cried he, to the shock of the vassal. "It had better be TOP quality!"

There was silence.

Then the laughing started.

---

Naruto was awake the entire night. He, unlike the others, had opted for tea, and with an almost vicelike grip on himself, avoided consumption of anything alcoholic. Sakura and Sasuke were, for the lack of a better word, stoned. Team seven had been given a single room with three comfortable mats laid out for them, you see, and they had been laid quite close together, and in their drunken stupor, both of Naruto's unfortunate teammates had tossed and turned and eventually held on to the nearest thing they could find, in other words, each other. This would make a humorous spectacle in the morning, to be sure.

Naruto looked outside their door cautiously, at the sign of movement. He noted a silhouette, who slowly approached the door. Naruto stood slowly, sliding behind the door, to place himself out of the nocturnal visitor's line of sight. The door slid open slowly, and Naruto could see the faintest silhouette of a head peering through. The door opened further, and a cloaked figure stepped though, obviously not seeing Naruto as he went. He looked at the two figures, and Naruto could hear the faintest of giggles, then a sharp intake of breath. Did they know this guy?

"Fun's over. State your name and purpose." Said Naruto suddenly, making the figure jump, causing his hat to drop off.

"You!" said the boy, a sentiment echoed by a somewhat unsurprised Naruto.

"You owe that old lady…scratch that…my team some money."

"Shut the hell up. Where's Aoi?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb, you little prick. Tell me where he is."

"I don't know what you're talking about…and I don't feel like obliging to ANYTHING with you and your little insults." Said Naruto, annoyed.

The stranger growled slightly and lunged, his hands reaching for Naruto's neck. Naruto swiftly sidestepped, and turned swiftly, grabbing on to the stranger's cloak and pulling him roughly back, just before said stranger lost his balance. Naruto then stepped out of the door and yanked hard on the cloak, pulling his assailant back, and with a kick, onto the floor. Naruto then stepped slowly up to the stranger, now getting hurriedly to his feet. Naruto stopped for a moment and turned around, closing the door with a soft 'thud'.

"I will not relish anyone invading my privacy, hurling vulgarities, then trying to strangle me, especially at such an hour."

"You can go screw yourself. Tell me where Aoi is!" growled the boy, retrieving a small pocket-knife from his pocket, and unsheathing it with a menacing flick.

"Aoi…What makes you think I know this…" Naruto started.

"You have his weapon!" cried the youth, lunging with his knife held out.

Naruto sighed and grabbed his attacker's neck, spinning, and using the momentum caused by the spin, threw the boy out onto the grassy garden below the wooden flooring.

"Rokusho Aoi, I'm guessing? You have dealings with him? That would then imply that you're that Genin he coerced into stealing the first Raijin. Morino Ibiki's brother and current 'E' ranked missing-nin of Konoha." Said Naruto in a slow and deliberative way. The young man looked dumbfounded as three katana wielding warriors emerged from a side-door and surrounded Naruto suddenly. Boss jirocho emerged as well, dressed in a casual kimono, a stern look on his face.

"I welcome you as a guest into my own home and you assault my men? Is this the behavior of a ninja of Konoha?" said he, his voice steadily rising. Naruto seemed unfazed by the events.

"I assure you, my Lord, I was not the one who intended first blood. I hope you notice the knife…" said Naruto, pointing at said knife, which was lodged firmly into the wood a few meters away.

"He's lying! He threatened me! He's in league with the enemy! He…" said the boy, waving at Naruto wildly.

Naruto gave him an extremely irritated look, and waved the hands odd, choosing to follow peacefully as Jirocho gave the order for his placement in the nearby storehouse. Naruto sighed and massaged his temples as they walked, finally ending up at the dank, dark storehouse, which he was pushed into, causing him to tumble into the dirt. Naruto got up, just as the guards placed the big wooden bar down upon the door's latches, sealing him in. Naruto cracked his knuckles, losing his temper, somewhat, a rare incident, perhaps, but not a novel one. He could Hiraishin out of the room, and indeed, to the young man, as he had left a seal on him. That would, however, implicate him further. The alternative was no better. Leaving the fates of his entire party in the hands of a villainous weasel and his trusting master? Especially a weasel that they'd aggravated prior to this?

This wasn't right, no, it was unjust. And yet, both of his options seemed to be against him. If they were sent home, Tsunade would be obliged to remove their ranks as Ninja, as both a courtesy to her friend and as a sign of disciplinary firmness. Being a fledgling 'kage, it would not do to lose potential customers at such a vital time. An execution or something along those lines, like imprisonment, was also a likely outcome. Indeed, Jirocho was probably composing his report as he sat there. And even if he did get to Jirocho, would the man believe him over one of his own?

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted with a small noise at the barred window. Rising to his feet, he walked slowly to the opening, and peered out, recognizing the boy who had caused him all this trouble, leering at him.

"Tell me what you know of Aoi's location and I'll clear your name." said the boy, smiling triumphantly.

"I don't know where Aoi is. I only know what any other Ninja knows. He is a 'A' ranked missing-nin and we are to kill him if he is encountered." Said Naruto touching an adjacent wall briefly.

The youth looked slightly flustered.

"Stop lying. There is no second Raijin. Aoi stole it and now he's passed it to you." Said the boy, frowning slightly. Suddenly, Naruto appeared in front of him.

"I could kill you right here and now. You're egging me on, and I don't like it when both my friends and my life are threatened." Growled Naruto menacingly, his arm suddenly shooting out and gripping tightly onto his aggressor's neck. Naruto's grip suddenly loosened, and the boy staggered, grasping his neck and breathing deeply. "You will clear my name, otherwise my team and I will be blamed for this debacle and probably have our ranks taken away."

The boy almost began to speak.

"You WILL do it." Said Naruto menacingly. "Or you will die, one way or another."

---

Naruto sat quietly in the storeroom as footsteps approached, and the door was unbolted, allowing sunlight to shine through, causing Naruto to flinch slightly. Boss Jirocho stepped swiftly through the doorway, soon followed by the boy and two bodyguards. Jirocho stopped two meters away from Naruto, and the boy walked in front of him, bowing and getting on his knees.

"I am truly apologetic, master ninja. My subordinate has confessed to having been the first to attack. He will be punished for his mischief. I hope you have not been too inconvenienced by this unfortunate event." Said Jirocho, his tone low and rather rushed.

Naruto looked at Jirocho, his sky blue eyes making contact with Jirocho's. It was a moment of severe stress for Jirocho, for his country could be held responsible for the causing of inconvenience of a ninja, thereby drawing a potential course of military action from both the hidden village and, indeed the country of fire itself. Naruto continued for a while, then closed his eyes and rose to his feet, walking slowly past Jirocho and his entourage, and stopping outside, where his team awaited.

---

"The task at hand is protection, not assassination." Said Boss Jirocho, eyeing each member of team seven slowly, coming to rest slightly uneasily on Naruto, who was sitting in a far corner looking out of the window. "You will be protecting our runner during the race, should he be assaulted during said race by mercenaries of the opposing faction."

Kakashi sighed and nodded slightly, motioning for his subordinates to move, which they did. Naruto stayed still for a while, then rose to join his team.

"Your runner will be Morino Idate, I presume?" asked he, in a voice colder than a glacier.

Jirocho nodded slightly, unnerved by Naruto's tone. Naruto stood still for a long while, even as his team retreated from the room.

"See to it that he does not attempt to sell you out, as he did Konoha." Said he quietly, turning immediately and stepping out of the room.

---

That afternoon, as team seven ate their late lunches, Kakashi and Sasuke were having a conversation about the Sharingan. Sakura was quietly munching her food while one or two other bodyguards sat around the table, also eating. Naruto looked at his food with disinterest. The day's events, especially those of that morning's, had been extremely disgusting. They were to assist an organization whose chief representative in a ridiculous event which, by some incredibly stupid coincidence, also governed the fates of the people for years to come, was a deceptive traitor, and a blackmailing villain.

"Are you alright?" came a soft voice, which shook Naruto out of his thoughts. He looked to his right, to see Sakura's concerned face peering back at him. He nodded slightly and looked back at his food. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"No… I'm not hungry. Have a good day, Sakura." Said Naruto, standing to leave.

"You seem so distant nowadays. Why can't we talk like we used to?" asked Sakura, making Naruto wince.

Naruto didn't move for some time.

"Have a nice day, Sakura." Said he, standing slowly and walking off. Sakura didn't stop him.

---

The hours went swiftly by, and soon, it was morning. The day of their appointed mission had arrived. Naruto was ready and waiting at the entrance to the Wasabi household, soon joined by Sasuke and Sakura, who he willed himself not to think about. Soon the Wasabi entourage arrived, and at its head were Boss Jirocho and, at his side, looking confident, was Morino Idate himself. Naruto frowned at Idate, but turned away quickly. Kakashi accompanied the entourage, and soon they set off for a shrine where the objects key to victory in the race were kept.

The journey was an uneventful one, and Naruto spent time speaking with one of the bodyguards and learning the rough lay of the land. He also learnt some of the customs and the traditions associated with the event, though none of the explanations did any good to soothe his annoyance at the entire debacle. Naruto looked around at times, and noted that it would have been a fine time for an ambush. His hand occasionally wandered to one of his three blades, though he found no use for them anywhere along the trip.

The reception was of great cheering from the crowd. It appeared that even with it's members' shortcomings, the Wasabi were the favored competitors. Naruto wondered if they were truly virtuous, or simply the lesser evil, after all, no gang-lead organization could ever achieve anything without getting some blood on its hands, and the Wasabi would be no exception.

"Everyone! We are gathered here today to view a competition only held once every four years, and this year's promises to be a memorable one!" Great cheers erupted from the audience, followed by clapping. Naruto searched around, and found the opposing group, the Wagarashi, whose lord, evident from his higher quality clothing, was flanked by a group of burly bodyguards, as well as three vaguely familiar faces. They had been at the Chuunin exams' second stage, Rain Ninja. So the opposition really was employing shinobi, thought he, his eyes shifting quickly in search of other potential threats. Suddenly, the commentator began speaking again.

"Now, let me explain the rules of this competition! Each team will retrieve one jewel, either the Dragon, or the Tiger, from the temple! After which, they will run as fast as they can to the shrine on the adjacent island! It's as easy as that!" great cheers erupted from the crowd, for seemingly no reason at all. "But…The winners of this race will be granted sovereignty over this area, and the other team will be granted nothing."

A great hush fell over the crowd. Naruto nodded slightly, noting the stress over the situation. He had been informed prior to the trip that the Wasabi had lost two runners in the events prior to the race, and that their deaths had been largely suspicious, the circumstances of which seeming too coincidental. Perhaps that is why the Wasabi had opted to hire Shinobi as guards. Their one redeeming factor, perhaps, was abstaining from hiring a ninja, or ninjas for assassination or sabotage. How Jirocho could have possibly gotten so high up in his gang's hierarchy was beyond Naruto, and almost seemed fantastic, given the means he utilized, not to mention his biased attitude, though grudging respect was forming for the man, for those very same reasons.

Naruto's attention was drawn to the shrine, where Morino Idate, along with the Wagarashi runner, were exiting, holding a jewel each, presumably the dragon and the tiger. Idate and his opponent placed themselves on the starting line, and Naruto hopped over, climbing discreetly up a tree, while Sakura and Sasuke waited at their respective positions, so as to draw less attention. An attractive young lady dressed in a traditional priestesses' robe stood at the starting line, bowing low and, with an elaborate flick of her wrist, dropped a white handkerchief, the signal to begin.

Both racers sped off at astounding speeds, with Naruto hard pressed to follow, though it was obvious that Idate was well in the lead, leaving his opponent literally in his dust. Suddenly, as according to plan, he swerved in the wrong direction, speeding up the coast to the location of their boat. An ingenious tactic devised by Boss Jirocho himself in order to both lull the enemy into an illusion of security, and to speed their trip, as the boat at the port they owned was facing the northwest, and therefore had the wind at its back.

Naruto noted that they had some followers, and guessed their identities to be those of the three Rain ninja who he had spotted with the Wagarashi leader. No matter, he would deal with them as they came.

---

They reached to port quickly, and with a few greetings to the boat's owners, were off. Naruto and his teammates waited on the fore deck, accompanied by a silent Idate. Sakura and Sasuke looked at Idate with slightly disgusted looks, perhaps over the earlier debacle, mused Naruto. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ship, and one of the crewmen were thrown overboard. Sasuke acted quickly and jumped over, as Naruto looked around, finally managing to find his opponents, the three camouflaged Rain-nin. They noticed his attention as well, evident from their immediate dispelling of said camouflage and charging.

Naruto immediately ran up the mast and jumped into the water, balancing precariously on the rocking ocean, and rushing towards the three ninja. The first thing Naruto noticed was that his opponents looked exactly alike. Naruto cursed and looked back to the boat, where Sakura and Sasuke had their hands full defending themselves. Sakura was standing directly in front of an obviously frightened Idate, who was on the verge of pissing himself, from his expression. Naruto didn't have time to think his next decision through, as a fist rocketed into his face, throwing him back and breaking the chain of Hiraishin that kept him afloat.

He entered the water with a splash, and in a split second, disappeared and reappeared on the boat, still wet from the encounter. Looking back, he noted that his assailant and his comrades had disappeared, now confirmed to be a deception. The enemy team had done their research. Naruto cursed himself for being able to fall for such a trick, and rushed to Sakura's position, only to see her holding off three opponents, all of which were swinging kunai. Naruto grunted and kicked off the floorboards, grappling two of them and distracting the last just enough for Sakura to slice him into mist with her own kunai.

Naruto's two opponents also faded to mist, obviously unable to sustain any more than the barest minimum of damage before being dispelled. Naruto noted that this would have allowed for the creation of many numbers of clones on a low chakra supply…Speak of the devil, thought he, as a group of about ten to fifteen more burst from the waters, rushing for Idate. Naruto growled, and jumped high into the air, charging up a Rasengan as he went. He nailed one in the chest, dispelling it immediately. Kicking off from another, he drew his heavy swords and made a mad spin, chopping many clones into two before they even had time to dispel themselves.

Naruto landed back on the boat with a roll, slicing another approaching clone with a neat cut, before turning his attention back to Sakura, obviously taxed by the enormous amount of reforming clones. Naruto leapt over and dispelled them, noting the lack of reinforcements. Perhaps even these clones were too much to maintain for too long. Naruto ran swiftly over to the aft deck, where Sasuke seemed to be competently fighting off a reasonably amount of clones. Naruto looked around slowly, and, with a neat jump, somersaulted into the water, where he saw the three ninja suspended in the water, wearing breathing apparatus.

Naruto managed to right himself above water, and rushed with incredible speed to their location, forming a Rasengan on the way. With a quick downward dive, he nailed one of them on the head, causing an obviously painful descent into the depths. Naruto spun underwater, knocking another out with a kick and managing to force the last out of the water. With a great throw, the Rain-nin was thrown into the side of the boat, where his impact produced a sickening 'crunch' on the hard wood. With all three floating on the surface, Naruto jumped out of the water and onto the boat, where Sasuke dispatched of the final clone.

"Where've you been all this time?!" asked the Uchiha, obviously annoyed at Naruto's presumed lack of motion. Naruto ignored him. Turning his attention to the boat's inner area, he noted that the clones had slaughtered the crew members. Sakura too, noted that, and leaned over the side to puke. Naruto tsked, and walked over to Idate, who was shivering in a corner, his pants somewhat damp. With a quick movement, he grabbed the missing-nin, and dunked him overboard.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Sasuke.

"You should thank me. You're the one who's going to carry the moron to shore." Said Naruto, pointing straight at the distant coast.

"Hell no. You're going to carry him, you hear? YOU!"

---

They reached the coast soon, and Sasuke dropped the shivering Idate to the ground, panting at the effort.

"Jeez. You need to lose weight…" said the Uchiha, staring at Idate.

Naruto surveyed the rocky landscape carefully. Something wasn't right. The reports indicated that the enemy had needles. Those Rain ninja used absolutely none. Perhaps it was some sort of one-time practice attack? No, they would have practiced at home. Even the most incompetent ninja would know better than to try an unrehearsed attack method on a mission, and rain was well known for their assassins. Naruto suddenly jumped back, pushing Sakura, Sasuke and Idate back as well. An inconspicuous umbrella rose from the bushes, and suddenly began scattering needles.

Idate suddenly bolted, and began to run, whimpering as he went. Sasuke and Sakura ran after him, grabbing him and ducking behind a large stone. Naruto managed to leap behind the stone just as the needles began to hit it. The needles ricocheted off the hard stone with a great clattering, and it was only when the noise ceased that they deemed it safe to look out from behind the rock. Naruto rolled from the rock into the cover of another, and, with a hand signal, told his teammates to stay behind their rock. However, Sasuke was not to be ordered around.

"Screw that!" Said the Uchiha, blind to the danger. He rushed out, his feet making a great clattering as they hit the discarded needles. Sasuke suddenly stopped and jolted to a side. Sakura and Naruto looked on as two more needles joined their sibling, lodging themselves deep in his shoulders. Sasuke growled roughly, and rushed at the attacked, obviously seeing in the mists what Naruto could not. Suddenly, a bright light flashed, and a small glowing beam of light swung itself. Sasuke was knocked out of the mist immediately after.

"Sasuke!" screamed Sakura, immediately preparing hand seals. Naruto stopped her abruptly, wincing slightly as her startled face turned to face him. "Go. Take Sasuke and the coward. I'll handle this guy."

Sakura looked at him for a moment, and nodded slightly, running swiftly out and retrieving Sasuke, and then heading for Idate. She and her charges were out of Naruto's line of sight soon after.

"WHAT A HERO!" came a sharp shout from the mists. Squinting, Naruto saw the faintest silhouette of a man walking through the mists. In his hand was the beacon of light Naruto had seen before. Naruto smirked slightly as he recognized the blade. How could he not, after all, he had been using it…Or at least one, for the majority of his battles. It would be interesting to see how this user of the Raijin would choose to utilize his weapon. No point in trying for surprises now; thought Naruto, activating his Raijin.

The figure looked startled.

"Where did you get that and…" said the man, growling under his breath.

"No need to know that when you're dead. You are Rokusho Aoi of the hidden Rain, formerly of the hidden Leaf. As a ninja of the hidden leaf, I am honor bound to eliminate you, as I will with Morino Idate, when my mission is over. _En garde._"

---

YAY! I'm BAAACK! Huzzah for my glorious return! Review, please, for I need the self esteem! Whoopee! Haven't heard from you guys in a doozy of a time.

Q & A

**What's the pairing now?**

I think this is a very likely question from now on. The answer is, there isn't any for now, again. I forgot to mention that the Naruto/Sakura thing was a generally temporary thing. Now Who knows, with his attitude shift, who Naruto will like. The answer might be quite astounding and depressing, but I'm sure you'll pull through!

**Why is Naruto suddenly so confident, and what happened to the meds?**

His once-subdominant super-ego has now grown into a full fledged one, and he is therefore much more confident, and needs much, much less of the medication.

**Why is Naruto so bent on kicking idate's arse? Is it part of the grudge against him?**

Revealed next chapter.

**Why is Naruto so invincible?**

He isn't.

**Aren't you changing the story a bit?**

It's a filler anyway, and, besides, I'm really only doing this to have Aoi interact with Naruto. And to lead it into the Sasuke incident.

**Why is Naruto so nice even when he's the 'other'?**

Prepare yourself…done?...right, now, Naruto as the Super-ego is chivalrous to a fault and highly virtuous, almost to the point of being a total 'Gary Stu'. Now if he does seem like that, please bear in mind that it is likely temporary and meant-to-be. Naruto as the Id is a generally unethical person with desires and whatnot. By the original theory, the Super-Ego controls the conscience and makes up the general morality of the subject, and is the foil of the Id. The Id is the controller of the urges and drives, and is therefore the foil of the Super-Ego. Bear in mind that a nice or evil act is extremely vague. Human nature is only bred into beings with prolonged contact with such, and therefore the adoption and basic imagination of the righteousness of such acts is caused by society's influence. Naruto is basically answering his drive to accomplish 'what's next', and it may, therefore, be extremely evil or extremely good. I'm really modifying this right now, so please don't kill me.

**Is it great to be back?**

Hells yeah. I'll be updating as usual, once a week.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Rien

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Eighteen: Rien**

**---**

_The figure looked startled._

"_Where did you get that and…" said the man, growling under his breath._

"_No need to know that when you're dead. You are Rokusho Aoi of the hidden Rain, formerly of the hidden Leaf. As a ninja of the hidden leaf, I am honor bound to eliminate you, as I will with Morino Idate, when my mission is over. En garde."_

**---**

Naruto smirked slightly as Aoi suddenly disappeared. No bluster from this one, thought he, jumping back suddenly as Aoi's Raijin flashed before him. Kicking off a nearby boulder, Naruto somersaulted and landed next to a tide-pool. He looked up, noting the gathering dark clouds, suggesting rain in the foreseeable future. Naruto looked down again, to see Aoi charging at him once again. A great crackling of electricity was heard as the two blades met, their similarities both voiding and enhancing each other's effects.

Naruto pushed forward, putting Aoi off balance. Sticking his blade into the ground below him, Naruto made a sudden somersault while still holding his weapon, managing an impressive kick upon Aoi's chest, though the following slash was stopped short by a quick-thinking Aoi's own Raijin. Naruto spun swiftly on his right foot, performing a roundhouse slash, which was narrowly avoided by Aoi, who ducked back, quickly regaining his balance. Naruto felt a faint drizzle. He cursed under his breath as Aoi began to smile. Rainy conditions in a fight against a rain ninja. Whoopee.

Naruto rushed forward, wishing to end it before it became a full-blown deluge. Puddles were already forming in the small nooks and crannies in the hard rock at his feet, as he dashed forward, his luminescent blade held out in a thrusting motion. Aoi ginned from behind his own blade, spinning it and immediately placing it in a parry-riposte motion. Naruto suddenly stopped himself incredibly quickly, causing him to slide on the damp rock. He bowed his head and contorted his shoulders slightly, causing himself to slip, spiraling out of his equilibrium and subsequently, his blade still held out, performing an abstract cross-slash.

Aoi was obviously not ready for such a maneuver, and overexerted himself attempting to get out of its range, resulting in a deep gash on his lower leg. He staggered and slipped on the rocks, falling ungracefully on his backside while Naruto landed on his back, rolling to his feet almost immediately. Naruto began to approach the downed Aoi, when said missing-nin suddenly dissolved into water. Naruto cursed under his breath, looking around for his target. Suddenly, Naruto turned abruptly, wielding his Raijin with two hands, he swung it into the rain, deflecting Aoi's blade, which had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

Naruto's worst fears had come true. The rain had come in full force, and he was at an immense disadvantage to one who, as his village suggested, trained in the art of making surprise attacks in heavy rain. Now, one would note that, while Naruto himself, as a Ninja, was trained in similar arts. However, Aoi was likely to have received extensive training, even if he had joined the Hidden Rain at a later period of time. Naruto somersaulted backwards, avoiding a slash. He hadn't even the time to plant a Hiraishin tag on Aoi yet, and the rain was getting heavier. Naruto turned on his heel and began running backwards. He winced slightly as a kunai caught his leg, staggering ever so slightly, and then regaining his equilibrium.

Naruto suddenly turned, a Rasengan suddenly forming his palm. Aoi's Raijin emerged from the rain, Aoi himself vaguely visible in the heavy rain. The blade and the sphere clashed in a fantastic display of sparks, sending Naruto rocketing into a nearby boulder. Naruto staggered to his feet, to see Aoi's foreboding silhouette in front of him, his Raijin crackling in the rain.

"Didn't you know about the Raijin's ability to disperse Chakra? No? Well, then…" said Aoi. "…You can't be very good at fighting with it."

Naruto looked up at Aoi with a frown, as the older man began to laugh maniacally, perhaps of proving his superiority over the only other Raijin wielder in the world, or of sheer insanity. Suddenly, with an incredibly quick maneuver, Naruto swung his right leg under his left and hit Aoi's, which caused said Jounin to stagger. Naruto immediately pushed back on the boulder behind him, his body sliding neatly under Aoi's legs. Naruto twisted, and flipped off the ground, activating his Raijin, and, with a swipe, managing a deep cut in Aoi's thigh. Aoi cried out in pain, clasping his knee, his blade clattering unceremoniously to the ground. Aoi was quick to respond, biting back his pain and reaching urgently for the blade.

"Too late." Said an apathetic Naruto, activating both Raijin and slicing two crossing gashes into Aoi's stomach. Naruto deactivated both blades as Aoi's limp form, his shocked expression still frozen on his face, fell to the ground, clutching his stomach for a moment, then going limp. Naruto looked at his defeated opponent for a moment, then turned away. He would be able to turn the bounty in, now that he had the second Raijin in his possession. Naruto looked around briefly, noting that the rain had not begun to stop yet. He walked slowly over the slippery surface, limping slightly from the wound in his leg. The kunai hadn't been poisoned, but it would slow his movement for a while.

He walked along the Cliffside, wondering idly how far Sakura had gone, before a slight glow in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Heading towards the glow, Naruto felt slightly relieved as the homely crackle of a campfire was heard. He walked to the entrance of the cave, peering inside to see Sakura tending to Sasuke's wounds, and a visibly shivering Idate in a corner, covered with a thin blanket from Sakura's bag. Naruto stepped in sluggishly, making some noise and startling Sakura, who turned suddenly, her Kunai already drawn. She relaxed visibly when she noticed who he was, and smiled happily.

"Glad to see you've made it." Said she, grinning cheerfully.

"Aoi isn't going to be bothering us anytime soon…" said Naruto, looking around the cave tiredly and suddenly sitting up to tend to his wounded leg. "We'll stay in here till the rain subsides."

Sakura nodded, and turned to pull Sasuke's blanket over his bandaged shoulders. She then rose and went to Naruto in order to get a closer loom at his wound. She looked on, amazed as the wound suddenly began healing at an incredible rate, the tissue reforming in seconds. Soon there was nothing there to indicate Naruto even had a wound. Naruto looked at the spot where his wound had been, then leaned back upon the cave wall, and closed his eyes. Perhaps unbeknownst to him, Sakura sat where she was for quite a while, looking at him forlornly, then outside, where the rain still beat down heavily upon the landscape.

---

Naruto woke up a while later, to see that the rain had lessened, to a moderately acceptable drizzle. He turned to his side, where Sakura napped a few meters away, while Sasuke lay unconscious near the campfire. Turning to the corner, he noted that Idate was also sleeping. Naruto raised himself to his feet, stretching slightly and looking out the entrance, where the sky seemed to adopt a light grey hue. He walked quietly over Sakura and Sasuke, to where Idate was sleeping. He shook him awake, eliciting a sharp squeal from the young man, soon silenced by a hand over his mouth.

Naruto placed his index finger on his lips and made a slight hissing sound, to indicate the need for silence. He then pulled out a small slip of paper, and with a pen from his bag, wrote down a few words. He then looked up, and placed the note in Sakura's hand. Naruto then turned to the still-shivering Idate.

"We're leaving now. You want to complete your race, don't you?" said Naruto, his voice monotonous and quiet. Idate soon collected himself, and rose shakily, following Naruto over his teammate's bodies and out of the cave. Once out, Naruto nodded to Idate, who removed his weights, and raced off, incredibly swiftly. Naruto was soon on his tail as they raced along the coast, over hills and eventually onto grassy land. Idate obviously knew his way around, whether it had been rehearsed or not, he meandered his way carefully through the rugged forests, and eventually onto a paved road, where he stopped abruptly, to allow Naruto to catch up.

"I've lost! Look at this, these footsteps, I've lost! I've betrayed lord Jirocho's trust, I've…" cried Idate.

"Shut up. The least you could do for your master is finish the race." Naruto said, to Idate's surprise. Idate looked up to where Naruto was standing, then back at the road.

Idate soon nodded, and ran at top speed up the hill, closely followed by Naruto, who dropped down from the branches and began speaking to Idate.

"The other racer is up front. The finish line is only two kilometers away. Run, run for your honor and that of your lord's."

Idate yelled loudly, a display that rather annoyed Naruto, who now asked himself how a man so tactless could have possibly even imagined the possibility of being a Ninja. Idate charged off at an incredible speed, though his opponent, who had, as Naruto had expected, heard him, also began to accelerate. Soon a great staircase came into sight, and the Wagarashi racer, now rather frantic, almost fell over himself attempting to scale the first few steps. Idate, obviously far more confident, leapt over the first two, and continued upwards at a phenomenal speed, soon catching up to his competitor, though said runner was intelligent enough to go at full speed as well, though Naruto wondered at the sheer stupidity it took to actually slow down right before the finish.

Naruto himself struggled to catch up, seeing only two intersecting dust clouds in the horizon as the two competitors charged at the finishing line with fervor almost unbelievable in practice. Suddenly, a huge cheer erupted from the crowd at the distant shrine, and Naruto stopped on a branch, squinting as he struggled to decipher the victor of the race. Naruto suddenly shook his head, remembering that such a cheer would only come for the favorite, and he already knew who the favorite was…

Naruto jumped down from the trees and made his way slowly to the crowd, slipping inconspicuously into the crowd, who were cheering Idate on, and doing the whole throw-the-hero-up-in-the-air routine. Suddenly, a Wagarashi noble came into the scene, and started shouting.

"This man had the assistance of hired Ninja!" said the noble, pointing at Idate. "As a matter of fact, here's one of them now!"

All eyes fell upon Naruto, who simply blinked, and walked up to the man in a deceptively harmless manner, standing immediately before him, as Boss Jirocho and his entourage came upon the scene. Naruto looked around at the crowd, then reached into his pocket and retrieved the two Raijin blades. Those who could recognize them gasped in amazement, and those who did not turned to others for enlightenment as Naruto held the two inactive blades up high.

"The Wagarashi clan hired ninja as well, only they did not do so for the protection of their runner, but for the assassination of the Wasabi runner. We were hired as bodyguards for the young man, and these two blades prove my statement. This one is mine, as sanctioned by Konoha themselves…" said Naruto, holding up one of the Raijin, then holding the other up. "This one belonged to 'A' ranked Konoha missing-nin Rokusho Aoi."

Murmuring started, and the daimyo stood forward, and began admonishing the Wagarashi clan, finally ending with an order of immediate dissolution of the clan, its assets now belonging totally to the Wasabi. Naruto shook his head at the surrealistic quality of the situation. The Wasabi had now the complete control of the entire area, a veritable monopoly on trade, and a decidedly naïve leader. Nothing good would result from such an endeavor, though Naruto knew that it wasn't part of his mission, and secretly thanked the powers that were for the lack of contact he would be observing, as soon as his mission ended…

---

Konoha's transport vessel arrived two days later, after Naruto had sent for medical staff to see to Sasuke immediately after the race. It turned out that Aoi had injured him rather more severely than had been initially thought, and that two of Sasuke's ribs were broken. Sasuke was, therefore, in no condition to continue on back to Konoha on his own, ergo, Konoha's considerate sending of a transport for him. At its head was none other than Konoha's chief interrogation officer, Morino Ibiki. Morino. Naruto laughed slightly as the ship pulled into port, and the specialist-Jounin stepped off, surveying his surroundings. Naruto was accompanied by Boss Jirocho and Idate, along with Sakura and an unconscious Sasuke, already being tended to by two medical ninja. Kakashi stood off at the side, reading his literature. Naruto rather wondered what Kakashi had been doing while they'd been getting slaughtered, but soon deigned not to want to know, as the repercussions would likely be disturbing, and disconcerting.

"Morino Ibiki, we have here a missing-nin from Konoha. Take him in, will you?" said Naruto, testing the proverbial waters, and startling both Jirocho and Idate himself.

"It is not in my jurisdiction to..." began Ibiki, obviously attempting to skip the issue.

"Ah, but it is mine, as a ninja of Konoha, a title we both share, though you seem to be rather lax in holding it up." Said Naruto, turning immediately and walking slowly to Idate, who was looking back and forth from an obviously dismayed Jirocho and Ibiki, who seemed unperturbed, though his small hand movements gave him away. Naruto stopped in front of Idate and grabbed his wrist, though Idate was squirming in his grasp. Sakura, perhaps slightly upset, attempted to begin speaking, but Naruto stopped her with a look as Kakashi walked past, barely acknowledging the events, if he had even perceived them at all.

"S-stop, master ninja, I will pay you twice his bounty, I…" began a frantic Jirocho, to a cold stare from Naruto.

:"I'm not in it for the money, and before you start making assumptions, for the crap he tried to pull on me. I am a Ninja of the hidden village of leaves, and by heaven, I will do what is required of one of that title. Now, this man is in the bingo book, and I'm taking him back to Konoha for his trial." Said Naruto, pulling a whimpering Idate forward. "He will likely be absolved, because of the circumstances of his betrayal, and his current situation."

Jirocho looked uneasy, though Sakura smiled, and bowed, walking up the ship as Naruto followed closely, still pulling the struggling Idate, who was now screaming bloody murder. Morino Ibiki looked at Jirocho, then back at Naruto, then at his brother, and smiled, understanding Naruto's plan. He bowed slightly, and followed them up the ship. Jirocho could only watch helplessly as his right-hand man was carted up the ship, and he continued watching until the ship was a mere speck on the horizon, still speechless.

---

Naruto woke up to a bright morning, the birds were singing and the cicadas were making too much noise for a good sleep. He went through his regular routine with an almost mechanical attitude, eventually picking up a piece of fruit and eating it. He slumped slowly onto his plush couch. The Hokage wanted to see him that afternoon, for some unknown matter. 'Slightly overdue' she had called it. Nara Shikamaru was also to be present, as he had heard from Sakura who had in turn heard it from Ino. Naruto was sometimes amazed at how fast gossip got around.

Naruto soon found himself reading one of the books on his shelf, a curious text he had found in the library and implored the Third to borrow for him. It was a series of descriptive essays about the lands to the west of the countries of Fire, Water, Earth, Thunder and Wind. They described a technologically advanced culture, where the arts of Ninjutsu had been all but abandoned by the locals in favor of training in the usage of weapons, especially the sword. The land was not broken up into countries, but united as one, therefore creating a very secure environment. It's capital city, known curiously as 'Nlodon', perhaps a mistranslation, or an error in the language barrier, was supposedly sustained simply by steam power, and a sort of energy generated by the waves. Fantasy, thought Naruto.

Naruto reminded himself to go to a local bookshop to get more books, with the money he had garnered (with extensive help from the Hokage in influencing the Kyuubi hating council) from the retrieval of Rokusho Aoi's bounty, though he had to give the majority of it in order to keep Aoi's Raijin, which, even after that, was still acknowledged as a temporary loan.

Naruto continued his reading for a short while, and stopped when a sharp knocking emerged from his door, prompting him to place his book down and go to receive his guest. Naruto opened the door, to reveal Sakura, his most regular visitor.

"I'm going to visit Sasuke in the hospital. Do you want to come along?" asked Sakura in a cheerful tone.

"I'm quite…" began Naruto, who stopped suddenly, at the slightly hurt look Sakura was giving him. "Alright…Yes, my schedule allows for it…"

Sakura smiled, and led the way, with Naruto following behind, his mind still hitting itself for being so damned nice.

---

Sasuke was in a melancholy mood when they arrived, Sakura bearing a bouquet of flowers she had purchased on her way over, from Ino's store, perhaps to elicit some sort of abstract envy from her 'rival in love'. Naruto observed all of the niceties in etiquette, greeting Sasuke and wishing his well, and so on. Sakura doted on Sasuke like he was a baby, offering to do everything from fluffing his pillows to giving him a spongebath, something that, while disturbing, did not seem to shake Naruto at all, a curious outcome for himself especially. Naruto suddenly realized that he had not used the serum in an extremely long while, posing to himself the question of whether he still needed it or not.

"Sakura, please leave me alone. I can feed myself…" said an exasperated Sasuke, who waved Sakura away, much to her dismay.

Naruto leaned against a wall, looking out the window. He noticed Sasuke's intense glare upon him, and looked straight at the Uchiha, who was impressively unfazed. Sakura looked at each of them, worried of a confrontation.

"Hey, blondie. How did you beat that guy?" asked Sasuke aggressively. Sasuke growled slightly when Naruto didn't answer. "Tell me!"

"Am I obliged to?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, yes you are!" said Sasuke, with a triumphant look on his face.

"That's the problem with you people. You have a big complex that forces you to imagine yourself to be greater than others. Wake up. I'm not obliged to do anything for you, especially since I was the one who saved your life." Said Naruto, his voice monotonous, and sounding slightly bored, to Sasuke's infuriation.

"Damn you, right here, right now on the roof!" said Sasuke, getting out of his bed unsteadily.

"Stop it, you guys!" said Sakura, whose advice went unheard on Sasuke's ears.

"Don't overexert yourself, Sasuke." Said Naruto, looking at the Uchiha straight in his eye. "The match can wait, can it not?"

"Shut up, you freak!" said Sasuke abruptly, pushing Naruto roughly back. "You wanna fight right here?"

Naruto sighed at the spectacle Sasuke was making of himself. What was it with this young man and his incessant desire to prove himself? Was it some sort of inferiority complex now? Who'd ever heard of someone having both an inferiority and a superiority complex? It was ridiculous. Sakura could only stand back as Sasuke began by throwing the first punch. Naruto caught it with ease, using Sasuke's leverage against him, he pulled Sasuke much like a Bull charges after a bullfighter's cloak, letting go just as Sasuke was going too fast to stop himself from smashing against the door. Sasuke got up extremely fast and performed a roundhouse kick, which Naruto narrowly avoided.

"Stop dodging, you piece of crap!" Said Sasuke, forcing Naruto to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, Sasuke began performing a series of hand seals which were vaguely familiar to Naruto. His eyes widened as Sasuke began his technique, and with a small sigh, grabbed Sasuke's shoulders and kneed his genitals. There was absolute silence in the room and Sasuke's mouth dropped open and a puff of smoke emerged almost comically. Naruto stepped back as Sasuke staggered and crumpled to the floor, clutching his privates and whimpering slightly.

"Look…The Goukakyuu wasn't a good choice and I had to stop you somehow…Sorry." Said Naruto, though his expression portrayed nothing.

Sasuke didn't say anything, or, rather, couldn't say anything as he simply lay on the ground, twitching slightly. Sakura seemed to be stunned speechless, her mouth hanging ajar and her hands hanging limply at her sides. Naruto stepped in slowly and bent down to check Sasuke, when suddenly, Sasuke's eyes came into view and a fist shot out, nailing Naruto on the stomach and sending him onto his back.

"Damn you, you little piece of crap!" said an enraged Sasuke, jumping onto Naruto's stomach and wailing away at his with his fists. Suddenly, Naruto's hand shot out and closed around Sasuke's neck, immediately jolting to the side and smashing him to the ground as Naruto got back up, his hand still around Sasuke's neck. Suddenly, one could almost see Sasuke's smirk as a blue hue surrounded his right hand. Naruto seemed unperturbed, though he slowly let Sasuke down.

"Let's not resort to that, Uchiha." Said Naruto calmly, as though he was speaking to an infant with a magnum.

"Knee me in the balls, would you?" said Sasuke, grabbing hold of his right arm with his left hand and holding it down.

"You were becoming a hazard." Said Naruto, looking around and noting how impressively large the room was for the first time.

Sasuke didn't respond, as a great crackling suddenly emerged from his arm, as a great current of pure electricity lit up in his hand. Naruto sighed, and rushed forward, just as Sasuke shot towards him. Naruto grabbed the Uchiha's arm in a swift motion and stopped suddenly, using Sasuke's momentum against him and pretty much dislocating his shoulder in the process. In a humiliating turn of events, Naruto swirled around, still lugging Sasuke's body with him, and threw said Uchiha out the window, and two stories down, where he landed painfully on his back. Naruto dusted himself off, and turned to Sakura, who had a look or abstract anger on her face.

Suddenly, she rushed forward and delivered to his face a mighty slap, or what would have been, had it made contact. Naruto's face was expressionless as Sakura struggled to get her wrist free, and, succeeding, went in for another. This one failed to hit as well, and Naruto was left vaguely confused, as to her reasons for attempting to hit him. Sasuke had attacked first. Sasuke was the antagonist. Sasuke would have heavily injured him, given the chance. Why was Sakura blaming him?

"I brought you here to cheer him up, not kill him!" shouted Sakura, infuriated, as shouts were heard from the courtyard below, and doctors and nurses streamed out of the building to attend to the now-further-injured Uchiha. Naruto let go of Sakura's wrist and watched as she jumped out of the window, to attend to Sasuke as well, and perhaps to apologize for bringing Naruto there. Now, Naruto wasn't one to be shaken very easily, after all, he had lasted through two long years of intense psychological torment, that, now that he recollected them, didn't seem to make any sense at all. So he was the holder of the Fox demon, did it, by that fact also make him responsible for the deaths of the many?

In that case, shouldn't Sasuke have been blamed for his brother's murderous conduct, and the dead Ninja for dying on the job? The events of those recent weeks seemed to throb heavily in his mind as he walked slowly out of the building, passing Sasuke's stretcher, surrounded by medical staff and a teary Sakura was they went by, almost swearing that he could see the pink-haired one's glare in his back as he left. The events of the world rang out to him of insanity, insanity, insanity in its highest order. How could the people preach order and truth if they persisted in discriminating and committing crimes far worse than those they were prosecuting?

Naruto was in front of the Hokage building when he finally shook himself out of his trance. It was then that it seemed vaguely disturbing to him that his mind had been subconsciously keeping track of his plans even as he had not been thinking about them. He wondered if that was why it was referred to as the 'subconscious'. He had read about it, the unknown portion of the brain, where everything deemed unworthy by the brain was placed in order to conserve space. The survival of the fittest in a twisted form, even in one's deepest psyche. Was that how humanity functioned? An everlasting machine eradicating what was deemed non-conformist? That was hardly lawful, hardly good.

Naruto walked up the stairs to the Hokage building slowly, his mind attempting, and failing, to process the developments into any sort of 'readable text'. Naruto's whole life had been based solely on his books. His ethical code had been based on the honorable heroes he had read of in his books. He had, during those two years of solitude, vowed never to fall to the ranks of the Anbu, which, while admired and accepted in society, were disgusting life-forms, existing only to kill. He had harbored a deep resentment for those who lived for such a dismal life, and had thought of himself as a foil, someone who would make a difference.

He reached the main office of administration, to hear the sounds of a video being played out. Thoughts rang out into his mind once again as he faced the door blankly, not even paying attention to the events around him. How could one person govern the welfare of an entire society? It was unreasonable to imagine that the right to sovereignty should be granted to one who was merely mightier than the rest. Did the need for a strong ruler truly outweigh the need for a wise one? Was society THAT corrupted to have to depend on the whims and fancies of a single individual?

"Are you alright?" came a female voice from in front of him. The Fifth's aide, Shizune was standing in front of him with a slightly worried look on her face, and The Hokage her self's face peeked out from behind her shoulder, a slightly concerned look present on hers. Naruto shook his head, then nodded quickly, and was led into the office.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I hope you understand that this decision we are making is not biased towards the great service you have accomplished for us, but is solely based upon your capabilities as observed by your sensei and the auxiliary examiners during the Chuunin exams." Said Tsunade, nodding to Shizune, who dimmed the lights. With the slight shifting of moving feet, and a sharp click, a television in the corner of the room flicked on.

Displayed on the television were the scenes of Naruto's battle with Hyuuga Neji, as well as extremely brief and blurry footage of Naruto fighting against and holding Orochimaru off. As the footage stopped, the television was switched off and the blinds were drawn, to take the place of the lights. Naruto squinted slightly as the afternoon sun made him squint as it streamed through the windows. The Hokage seemed to be holding a sheet of paper and conferring quietly with her aide, who was pointing out certain key facts, or something of the sort. Suddenly, a sharp smack brought Naruto's attention to the now-rising Hokage, who had a wide smile on her face.

"We are proud to announce you promoted to the rank of Ninja Chuunin!" said the Hokage, tipping a small shot-glass of sake into her mouth.

Naruto was silent.

"I am inclined to decline this promotion, Lady Hokage." Said he, quietly, and with a short bow, he exited the way he came, leaving both the Godaime and her assistant befuddled.

---

Naruto was walking out of the building as a huge explosion rocked it to its foundations. Turning suddenly, he saw the direct results of it; a great gaping hole in one of the walls of an adjacent corridor, which he had, incidentally, just been walking in. Turning around slowly, he approached the hole as two bodies flew out, one of whom was a barely conscious Kotetsu. Naruto glanced at the hole, then at Kotetsu. Hearing sounds of a scuffle echoing from hole, he kneeled down by Kotetsu's body, and propped it up on an undamaged wall.

"What happened?" asked the blonde, staring at the hole, where the sounds still echoed from.

"Sound…that woman…Curse seal…" was all Kotetsu could say before he fell unconscious.

Naruto turned to the hole, standing up and stepping down while holding its edges. Four Anbu arrived in puffs of smoke behind him and he turned swiftly and stopped them with a held-out palm. He waved his palm, and then raised two fingers. The Anbu leader looked uneasy, then nodded. Naruto bowed slightly and turned to the hole, sliding down the rubble and onto dry concrete flooring. Naruto's footsteps echoes off the walls, bouncing the same direction as the sounds of fighting were coming from. He walked slowly down the tunnel ahead of him, the dim light of the luminescent lamps at the sides of the pathway throwing strange shadows upon the walls as he passed.

He reached the end of that segment of the tunnel just as an Anbu hit the wall in front of him, his neck twisting in an unnatural way. The sounds continued still as Naruto swerved the corner. A grim sight greeted him as three Anbu were pounding on a single opponent, before being thrown away by a force powerful enough to likely kill any normal human being. Naruto stepped into the clear, drawing the subject's attention to him. The person, if it was a person, looked stunned as Naruto approached calmly. He noticed protrusions on the being's head, reminiscent of horns on some sort of animal, or demon. The being looked around shakily, stepping back as Naruto stepped forward.

"Why are you afraid?" asked Naruto, holding his hands up.

The being growled slightly and uttered something under its breath, charging at Naruto, its hands outstretched. Naruto stood still, and looked square at the creature's eyes. His steely glare obviously affected it, from the way it suddenly halted its charge. Naruto stepped forward again.

"Why are you afraid?"

The being recoiled at his voice, moving back and forth, and growling a long series of grunts, perhaps translatable, perhaps not. Naruto kept his eyes focused on the beings, never faltering, never blinking.

"Why?"

Naruto stood not a meter away from the being, when the being suddenly crumpled to the ground, holding its face in its hands and emitting sounds somewhat like sobs. It was crying. Naruto stepped forward, to a sharp intake of breath, and a small step backwards. He waited a while, and then stepped forward again, slowly. This time the being did not move. It was in a full state of despair, weeping, its tears dropping to the ground like drops of rain. The creature suddenly began emitting steam, revealing a young girl of Naruto's age, give or take. She was heavily tattooed, a quality that soon remedied itself, as the tattoos began to recede into an area around her neck, until she was just a frightened young lady, seated on the ground crying her eyes out.

"You killed Lord Orochimaru." Came the response, from her mouth.

Naruto looked at her, and then nodded slightly.

"Yes I did." Said he, kneeling before her. "Who was he to you?"

"He was our father…" said the girl amidst weeping.

Naruto knelt there for what seemed like an eternity. He wondered if Orochimaru had some sort of fatherly side, which allowed him to act beyond what he was described as. To be something more than just the evil psychopath he was most commonly acknowledged as. Could he have been different to those around him? In that context, then, could Konoha be as to the Sound as the sound were to Konoha? A malevolent entity bent on the annihilation of the welfare of those around them? In that case, would he, then, be as to them as Orochimaru was to him? Evil?

Naruto looked up slightly, to see that the girl had ceased her weeping. She was looking at him from under her long crimson hair, her knees now tucked beneath her arms. What could he do now? He had calmed her down; What else could he do?

"WHAT THE HELL is happening IN MY BUILDING?!" came a great yell from the tunnel behind them. The girl jumped slightly, and cowered in her arms again. He remembered fragments of this young lady. She had been headstrong, insulting the plumper pert of their group as they escaped. To have broken her spirit like this…What was he?

The fifth, Tsunade, came storming down the tunnel to their position, eyeing the girl angrily. She was on the verge of pulverizing the frightened young lady, when Naruto stepped into her way.

"I will take full responsibility for this. It is my fault that she was here in the first place, and it is therefore my fault that the lives of these fine ninja were lost." Said he, facing Tsunade with a strangely apathetic face, devoid of any feeling, and betraying absolutely nothing. Tsunade looked him in the eye, obviously furious at the insubordination as the Anbu squad and Shizune came down the tunnel.

"Now, You wait right…"Began the fifth, stopped suddenly by Naruto.

"I will take FULLEST responsibility for this young lady's actions, and I give my word that you may inflict any punishment intended for her upon me." Said Naruto, turning around and helping the stunned young lady up.

"What the hell are you…" began Tsunade, wagging her finger, but then stopping, and, turning to Shizune, mouthed a few orders, then to the Anbu, who she simply waved over to Naruto's position.

"Go with them. Don't worry." Whispered Naruto to the girl, as two Anbu began to escort her away. She looked at him for a while, even as she was led away, and saw him smile reassuringly, before he disappeared behind a corner.

Naruto turned to the Hokage, who was fuming. She waved her fist wildly about, and ended with an exasperated sigh.

"I hope you know what you're doing." She said finally, massaging her temples as they walked out of the tunnel.

"I don't." said Naruto, frowning slightly. That's right. He didn't. He didn't know what he was doing. And yet, it felt so…Right.

"I could ask you a million questions right now, but I don't need the answers and my four'o'clock is here." Said she, waving him off. He turned and passed Nara Shikamaru and his father as he exited the building.

Tayuya! Finally introduced! Yay! Right, anyway, I hope I didn't make Sakura too craaaazy. She's meant to be in love with Sasuke too, so I think this one time, I'm going to make her imagine Naruto to be the antagonist, after all, Love makes people irrational.

Please don't get the wrong idea, though. This still has no couple. Don't ask why, because it'll be revealed in a later chapter.

I'm making Tayuya OOC because she kind of witnessed two of her teammates killed…And her father figure's dead, of course.

How did she know? Well, I'm assuming that if one has a curse seal on oneself, it should be noted that one would share a connection with the giver of said seal, which explains why Anko, a 'forsaken' student, has her seal hurt like crazy when Orochimaru was near. I'm applying this in a less direct way. Why didn't she go crazy earlier? Let's just chalk it up to a plot hole, or something.

Sasuke? Next chapter.

Review and be merry. Have a nice day, friends.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Mort

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Nineteen: Mort**

Three knocks resounded from Naruto's door. He shook his head, putting a most fascinating book on weaponry and its various uses down. Katana as kitchen knives, kunai as fridge magnets…the list went on. He walked slowly to the door, opening it just as Hatake Kakashi's fist began to fall again. Naruto raised an eyebrow as said fist retreated slowly.

"Yes?" said the blonde, meeting Kakashi's eyes.

"Do I really need a reason to visit my favorite student?" said Kakashi, his tone whimsical. He'd picked it up after watching one of those movies based on a book. Something about a riceball factory and dwarves with a catchy song…

"Is this about Sasuke?" asked Naruto, opening his door and allowing Kakashi to enter. On the blonde's table was an opened envelope, received just that morning from konoha's high council.

"Yes…Sakura told me that you'd assaulted him rather violently, and I came by to hear your side of the story." Naruto had stopped listening after Kakashi had mentioned Sakura, though he was vaguely aware of the question he had been posed.

"Is there truly another side?" asked Naruto in a strange tone of voice. "I have ruthlessly attacked the Uchiha heir, and am likely destined for capital punishment no matter what I do or say…The council has informed me quite clearly of those facts…"

Naruto turned around briskly.

"Am I wrong? Or do they have extra charges to put on my record?"

"Konoha will be fair, you just need to…" began Kakashi.

"No, Konoha will not. Humanity will not. Just name the time of my impending execution and I'll be there." Said Naruto, his cold blue eyes looking out of the window, where a small mob of people was gathered, among them Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino.

"You won't be killed, Naruto. This matter…it's so petty, and I'm sure that the Hokage…"

"Has no power."

Kakashi was silent as the rabble outside began their chanting and shouting. Naruto walked slowly into his kitchen and returned shortly, holding a small platter with a teapot and two cups on it. He poured the tea into both cups, and sat down wearily. Kakashi looked at his face sadly, noting how old Naruto suddenly looked. The stress of an eon seemed to weigh down on his shoulders, far more than anyone could ever have imagined.

"Imported from the west…Something-grey, I believe." Said Naruto nodding in the direction of the remaining teacup. Kakashi sat down slowly, and lifted the cup, taking a small sip. "A Hokage who makes decisions without his or her village's agreement is not likely to be able to rule very well."

"The Third didn't…" began Kakashi.

"The Third was only allowed to keep me alive because he was forced to make my life miserable. Thank goodness he disregarded it, hm?" said Naruto, looking around his room. "Really, Kakashi, I didn't know you'd grown so attached to me. Please, don't trouble yourself on my account."

He took a sip from his cup.

"Just tell The Hokage to keep the girl alive. Orochimaru's Pupil. The Redhead. That's all I ask." Naruto said, sipping again. He stopped suddenly, looking intently at his teacher. "Oh come now, Kakashi, why so glum? I'll die, and they'll rejoice."

Naruto took yet another sip, and placed his cup back on the tray.

"For the greater good, really."

000

Kakashi left on a somber note, with a pat to Naruto's back and an assurance of his support, along with that of most of Konoha's shinobi. Naruto was soon left alone in his apartment, the sound of the rabble outside his window growing ever louder with civilian supporters of the Uchiha and of his execution alike. He wondered if, perhaps he should have done something differently. A small smirk escaped his lips as Naruto gazed forlornly at the peaceful blue sky, a mockery of his current state, perhaps.

No, no. If he had not stopped Uchiha Sasuke in the way he that he had, grievous hurt would have been inflicted upon himself, an outcome most undesirable, even for him. A sudden smash rocked his door to its hinges. Someone must've gotten past the gates, thought Naruto absentmindedly as the rabble grew louder, perhaps now outside his very door. Naruto took a sip from his now-cold tea, sighing in displeasure at the enhanced bitterness, though it mixed well with his mood.

He rose to his feet and looked out of the window, where some Ninja were attempting to hold the surging crowd back. Among his defenders Naruto saw Kakashi, Anko and, most surprisingly, Morino Ibiki. Umino Iruka was present as well, along with various other Ninja. Naruto growled slightly as he noted some of the crowd wielding bladed weapons. Naruto's head shot up as a knocking sounded from his door. He turned slowly and walked towards said door, unlatching his various locks, and, with slight hesitation, opening it.

Naruto immediately somersaulted back as a kunai wielding hand shot through. Naruto looked surprised as Yamanaka Ino stepped through the door. This couldn't simply be because of Sasuke…

"You MONSTER!" cried Ino, glaring at Naruto, whose eyes had widened considerably. "My mother told me all about who you really are!"

Naruto looked to Ino, whose glare, while not actually generating any killing intent, was in itself formidable indeed.

"To THINK! I've been near the Kyuubi all this while! I lost family in that battle!" cried Ino shakily. "A-and now…you want to kill Sasuke…"

Naruto smirked slightly. Was this how it was to be, then? Thought he, as the blonde girl began extolling Naruto's crimes one-by-one, from the death of her family and many others, to his attempted murder of Sasuke, Naruto couldn't help but imagine Sakura might feel the same way, having likely been told this information by Ino…Truth be told, he didn't expect much of her either. Having a crush on Sasuke must have made being in team seven a holy opportunity, and he likely didn't matter, compared… Ino suddenly began her charge, pulling out two kunai and throwing them. They were clumsy throws, and were likely meant as a decoy. She leapt at him, only to have him roll aside.

She immediately threw a multitude of kunai and needles at him, all missing their targets. Naruto had to admit that she was not incapable, especially with her use of rapid-throwing techniques.

Naruto darted back and flipped up onto a table as Ino improvised, charging straight for him. Naruto noted the intense anger in Ino's eyes. Was this what he was to face for the rest of his life? Naruto somersaulted over their heads, only to have Ino pull out an explosive tag. Was she crazy? Thought he as she threw her dangerous projectile, The kunoichi barged out of the window as Naruto picked the kunai up. On it three white dots remained of ten which were now crimson. Delayed tag, thought he, looking around.

Three.

He couldn't throw it outside. It would hit the rabble. What did it smell like?

Two.

He'd prefer his apartment untouched. It smelled like flowers.

One.

Naruto dashed out the window, hugging the tag close. Cherry blossoms.

He gritted his teeth as the deafening noise and excruciating heat burned through his body, destroying skin and clothes. Naruto landed on the dirt road with a sickening 'crack', rolling a bit before knocking into a nearby building. His flesh was rather roasted, evident of an impressive charge, military level and ideally Chuunin-only use.

Naruto grunted slightly as he felt someone grab his still-healing arm softly. He looked up to see Anko's concerned face. He got up slowly as the gathered Jounin attempted to clear a path through the adamant crowd, some of whom had resorted to throwing their on-hand items, causing severe pain to Naruto, his skin still raw and healing. He finally managed to get to his feet, and with not a glance to the nearby Sakura, he began walking away, shreds of fabric trailing behind him as he went.

000

Naruto was seated upon a white hospital bed, now dyed a faded brown by the excess amounts of blood his body had been expelling. His skin, as it turned out, had been burnt off almost completely, though the regeneration had begun almost immediately, the explosive tag itself had been imbued with an oil-sealing mechanism, and had also slathered Naruto with no small amount of lamp oil when it detonated. An ingenious invention, straight from the labs of Fire's chief engineers and sanctioned only for extremely important situations in which destruction was either a requirement or a means to an end.

Naruto groaned slightly and opened his eyes, noting Tsunade, Kakashi and Anko by his bedside. Kotetsu and Izumo stood guard outside the room. He looked first to Anko, who smiled softly to him. Even in his current state, Naruto managed to pick out the faintest of blushes when Kakashi moved slightly nearer to her. Kakashi nodded and presented a discreet thumbs-up sign. Tsunade looked at him ,irritated, though her expression showed anger not at Naruto, but at someone else.

"That was stupid." She said, bluntly. "Should've jumped out the window and left the tag there. Moron."

Naruto smiled softly and shook his head.

"No…Books…" he muttered, only just able to speak, with his vocal cords still regenerating from the explosion proper. Tsunade popped a vein, and almost began to shout, when Naruto continued. "If I…jumped…debris…Bystanders…"

Silence reigned over the three gathered.

"Is the date…of my punishment…set yet?" asked he, his cerulean eyes scanning Tsunade's expression. She growled.

"What punishment? You've done nothing wrong." Said she, looking out of the window, coincidentally, to the Hokage building, where deliberations were held.

"Sasuke…" said Naruto in a raspy voice. Tsunade shook her head.

"You've done nothing to him, and I…"

"No." said Naruto.

"What?" responded Tsunade, frowning.

"What…rank are you…?" asked Naruto. Tsunade hesitated in her answer.

"Hokage, but that…"

"Means that you have to…gain the admiration and respect…of your subjects…" Naruto said, coughing at the end. "Unless…you wish to rule…by tyranny…?"

Tsunade was silent.

"Just do it."

"Shut up, you." Snapped Tsunade. "did you win that necklace for nothing? Don't you have any determination? Any sort of drive? A goal?"

Naruto smiled softly and turned to Kakashi, who looked morose.

"No…I do not." Said Naruto, closing his eyes. He then reached around his neck and undid the deceptively fragile chain holding his necklace. He passed it to Tsunade in a quick motion, shaking his head when she looked at him.

"For the good…of Konoha…and your rule as…Hokage." Said Naruto, wincing as the regeneration began anew. "Do the right thing…"

And then he blacked out.

000

Naruto awoke in a vaguely familiar scene. Campfire in the wilderness…marshmallow over the pit…All that was different was a lock of his counterpart.

"You little prick…"

Oops.

Naruto turned swiftly to see the other standing by a tree, a furious expression on his face. He approached the campfire in a huff, and swiveled on his heel. He exhaled loudly and turned to pace to his left, then to his right. It was interesting spectacle indeed, seeing the normally smiling 'other' so infuriated. The 'other' soon came back to him and grabbed him by the collar. As he lifted Naruto up, the environs changed dramatically, from the relative peace, and unnerving silence of the campsite, to a great lava-filled crater, with the 'other' on the only platform left, and Naruto flailing over nothing but lava.

"There've been MANY times you've put our lives in jeopardy, but this is the single most ridiculous thing you've ever stuck your foot in." said the 'other' menacingly, growling out the last part. "Don't you realize what you've subjected us to?"

Naruto simply looked into the 'other's eyes, where crimson greeted him, along with incredible killing intent.

"We're to be subjected to a tribunal of Konoha's CIVILIAN elders, you fool!" cried the 'other', an almost desperate tone weaving its way into his speech. The 'other' growled and threw Naruto into the lava.

Naruto found himself upon a hard wooden chair a second after. He was in that familiar white room, with the 'other' sitting opposite him on a white plush chair. On a small table next to him was a glass filled with a clear, slightly yellow substance. Naruto's counterpart bit his thumb lightly, not drawing blood, but perhaps as a method of stress relief. His left leg, laid over his right, shook incessantly. This was the first time Naruto had seen the 'other' so vexed. It was definitely unnerving.

"You should have realized that I'm not going to let us die, fool." Said the 'other'. "If they try to execute us I will slaughter your beloved village and watch it burn."

Naruto was shocked. He hadn't expected the 'other' to resort to such methods, even if they were, at that point, hypothetical.

"And don't think I won't so it." Said the 'other', his face locked into a grim expression. "I want to live, and by heaven and all the stars, I will not hesitate to die trying."

"Than what would be the point of…?"

"At least I would have tried, you little freak." Snapped the 'other'. "Think of it this way. You'll be hurting the village if you die, either way. You die, they lose a good shinobi. You die, I kill them. You die, stupid wanking villagers win. Lose-lose situation."

Naruto looked puzzled.

"You'd better live, or your village will die. Full stop."

Naruto sighed.

000

Naruto awoke to find himself in reasonable comfort. He looked at his arm for a moment and noted that his skin had grown back. That 'heart-to-heart' with the 'other' must have taken quite a while, then. Naruto looked out into the corridor, to see a few nurses rushing by, followed by a doctor. He noted an ANBU following them. ANBU were not usually assigned to guard people…Especially not civilians. Naruto rose from his bed and walked slowly to the doorway, poking his head out. The group had, by then, turned a corner, and were out of sight. Naruto walked briskly to the window and opened it, viewing a small taped-off area, where a few sets of footprints could be spied. Escapee?

Naruto glanced at a nearby chair, where his clothes had been quite conveniently laid out for him. Wow. They sure knew him…Disturbing. Naruto shrugged off the thoughts, darting over to the chair and grabbing his clothes, he replaced his hospital garb with a few quick motions, and with a swift move, retrieved his two Raijin, along with his heavy swords from a table across from the hospital bed. He then turned swiftly to the window, and with a running jump, somersaulted out.

Naruto landed neatly by the taped-off area, and with a small glance up, saw the Hokage speaking with some of her assistants in the room above. It then occurred to him who exactly might have escaped. Or was abducted. Uchiha Sasuke had been in the room next to his. Naruto could have laughed at the irony of it. He looked down at the tracks. They led away, then into the trees, where they stopped. When had this happened? Naruto turned around slowly. Two Chuunin were rounding the corner.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" cried one, waving his arm. Naruto recognized Kotetsu easily.

Naruto nodded and motioned to the tracks.

"When did this happen?"

"Yesterday night. Uchiha Sasuke escaped from this hospital with the assistance of presumed sound-nin and is currently considered a missing nin."

Naruto's eyes widened somewhat, but narrowed immediately after.

"Have any attempts been made to recapture him?"

"Yes. Chuunin Nara Shikamaru was accompanied by Akimichi Chouji, Hyuuga Neji and Inuzuka Kiba when he left." Kotetsu said, while his partner searched his pouch for something.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you have been charged with assault and high treason to Konoha. The penalty of which is Death." Said the Chuunin, holding up a small black scroll. Naruto looked at the scroll, then at the Chuunin. "However…the Hokage has granted you a pardon IF you are able to assist with Uchiha Sasuke's retrieval and the elimination of his abductors."

Naruto's face remained apathetic, though somewhere within him, a sigh was released.

"Is that agreeable?" asked the Chuunin, passing Naruto the scroll. Naruto took it, and began reading. He looked up a split second later.

"Attempted elimination of a clan?"

Kotetsu shrugged.

"Alright, then." And he disappeared.

000

Naruto reappeared behind Hyuuga Neji. His welcome was accompanied by a swift, if not clumsy attempt at a gentle fist. Confronted with multiple thrown kunai, shuriken and a flying monster rabbit…dog…Naruto backflipped and swept past a small branch, which he used to swing himself around with. He dodged more shuriken and kunai before someone finally recognized him, and shouted 'stop'.

"Uzumaki Naruto! What are you doing here?" said the team's leader, Shikamaru.

"No time. We need to catch up to Sasuke." Naruto muttered, throwing him the black scroll. Shikamaru opened it and read a few lines, then looked back to Naruto, then at his team members…Then back at Naruto.

"Rear guard." Muttered the strangely bored looking teen, making a line in the air with his finger. Naruto nodded, and jumped over Chouji. They then sped off, but not before some of the uninformed members gave Naruto strange looks.

They sped through the forest for a long while, before Shikamaru turned slightly and looked at Naruto.

"Why can't you teleport to him?" asked the boy, a question echoed by those who had seen Naruto in action.

"Sasuke's probably surrounded by bodyguards and the like. The Abductor would not have gone through the hassle of infiltrating Konoha's gates if he had not tasked some skilled individuals with the prize itself." Said Naruto, his eyes still staring straight ahead. Shikamaru left off with a nod.

Suddenly, Neji, the first in the line, stopped. He tripped on a tree and began plummeting to the ground. Naruto cursed and Hiraishin-ed towards the Hyuuga. With a swift move, he grabbed the pale-eyed boy's collar and teleported back up, tossing the body towards Shikamaru, who caught it ungracefully, and set it down. Naruto kicked off a tree and threw three marked kunai into the wilderness. He then disappeared and appeared as the kunai went into the leaves. A sound nin awaited there, a small precision needle launcher attached to his left arm.

Naruto pulled his Raijin, and, using the momentum of his appearance, swiveled and decapitated the unfortunate sound nin. He landed upon the branch the nin had been on, and swung his Raijin back and forth among the leaves. Suddenly, a small barrage of needles came through the leaves, impaling themselves upon the trunk of a tree behind Naruto. With a smirk, Naruto tossed a few kunai in the origin of the needle's general direction, and disappeared.

Naruto reappeared upon a branch near his teammates, where Neji had been laid out. A needle was embedded firmly in the Hyuuga's shoulder, possible coated with a paralyzing substance. Naruto grabbed it firmly and pulled, tossing the needle down into the underbrush. He then pulled from his waistpouch a small vial of liquid. He then applied it to the wounded area and replaced the vial in his waistpouch. With a quick glance at Kiba, behind him and Chouji below him, he looked straight at Neji.

"The effects will relieve you in a few minutes. I know you can hear me now. Do me a favor for the one I did you, and tell them I'm gone off to get Sasuke. This was likely the bodyguard force, and now that it's dispatched, he's likely clear, and we're likely close." Naruto said, taking another glance at the deceased sound nin around the area. "There're bound to be one or two bodyguards left, so try to catch up quick."

Neji nodded slightly and, with a nod of his own, Naruto looked deep into the forest, and disappeared.

000

Naruto appeared in a grassy plain, right above a wooden platform. He looked down, noting that the platform was, in fact, a barrel, likely containing Sasuke. Naruto looked around, then flipped off the barrel as a barrage of kunai came from the left. He landed deftly on the grass, then began a series of calculated backflips, as more kunai rained down, now from above. Eerie laughing erupted from the midst of the encroaching forest as the rain of projectiles increased in pace.

Naruto growled, and with a cartwheel, tossed five marked kunai into the grass ahead of him, with one sailing on ahead. He teleported to each one in turn, finally teleporting to the kunai in mid-flight. Activating his Raijin, Naruto plunged the blade into his opponent's body, only to have it dissolve immediately. With the shadows obscuring his view, Naruto could not make out his opponent's features, though his method of escape was disturbingly familiar.

Naruto stepped back, and headed back to the barrel. He was startled to see a bandaged figure standing upon the wooden construct. The figure sported grey hair, which had not been cut for a while, resulting in flowing tresses, though it was evidently a man… It was Kabuto, Orochimaru's assistant. The assistant Naruto had presumed, wrongly, had been taken into custody.

"Surprised to see me, Naruto?"

Naruto frowned. How cliché.

"I thought you'd been taken in by the spec ops…" Naruto said, his eyes narrowing.

"Heh. No." said Kabuto arrogantly. "As much as I'd like to explain the whole situation, I think our friend's just about done incubating now."

Naruto looked at the wooden construct, its seams now exuding purple light. Kabuto jumped off the construct and onto the grass in front of it.

"How did you get a seal onto him?" asked Naruto, visibly confused. He had read about Orochimaru's famous seals, but he didn't recall any of them acting so fast.

"I didn't. Contrary to general knowledge…and otherwise, One does not require the seal to unleash one's full power. The seal merely acts as a conduit to draw upon the soul, therefore making the process more…efficient." Kabuto pushed his glasses up and smiled. "It also acts as a sort of buffer, for when lord Orochimaru chooses to take over someone's body, allowing the prior mentioned ease of access to the soul…Which is drawn out."

Naruto frowned deeply at the last sentence. But he was curious as well.

"Take over someone's body?"

Kabuto laughed slightly.

"Oh, that's riiight. You don't know. Then again, The lord never recorded this anywhere, so I suppose it's not entirely surprising." Kabuto's smile grew, as if he took pleasure in the description of his lord's technique. A twisted measure of pride, perhaps? "Lord Orochimaru has found Immortality!"

"Didn't help him much …" Said Naruto, in a taunting fashion. "Hardly Immortality, when you die, is it?"

"Do not mock his work." Said a seemingly unperturbed Kabuto, though his tone, and his words seemed to suggest otherwise. "He had found a method by which to preserve his youth using a transferal of consciousness into another host, whether he or she be willing or not."

"Via the soul, you mean?" said Naruto, one eyebrow upturned. "And…what did you mean by he or she?"

Kabuto shifted uncomfortably.

"Hypothetical situation."

"Right."

…

"So you're continuing his work?" said Naruto, his gaze falling slowly to the wooden construct.

"No time for any more chit-chat. Your best friend's coming out of the barrel." Kabuto said, his silver hair swaying in the wind. He beckoned towards the wooden construct, as the planks holding it together began to quake slightly. Naruto's gaze went back to Kabuto, who had, by then, disappeared. Naruto cursed under his breath and leapt into the air as a barrage of needles rained down from above. With a twist, he landed near the forest, and, as his feet touched the ground, began running at it.

Occasionally swinging his blade to deflect the many projectiles being hurled at him, Naruto was only vaguely aware of the small explosion behind him, though he acknowledged it as Sasuke's presumed escape from the barrel. Naruto leapt swiftly into the forest and threw a small sphere into the darkness ahead of him, jumping behind a tree as it detonated. The kunai cluster bomb had done its work, doubling as a flashbang, illuminating the forest as it went. Naruto teleported to the furthest one, spinning around with his Raijin activated, only to be countered by an annoyingly familiar blade.

"The Kusanagi…"

Naruto gritted his teeth and charged ahead at Kabuto, who seemed to be struggling. He was obviously not a front-line fighter, and handling physical situations wasn't his cup of tea. The bespectacled youth only barely managed to hold Naruto off as said blonde's attacks increased in ferocity. Naruto took advantage of the situation, and using leverage from kicking off a nearby tree, locked blades with Kabuto and forced him out onto the field. Kabuto stumbled slightly as Naruto went into a drop roll, coming up just to attempt a slash, which was blocked.

Kabuto, obviously exasperated, turned and fled, followed closely by Naruto, who had since pulled out some marked kunai, and had begun throwing them. Suddenly, in a blur of black, Naruto found himself hurtling away from a smiling Kabuto. Crashing soundly into a tree, which promptly collapsed, Naruto got to his feet, to view his new, and while not totally unexpected, surprising opponent. Surprising in, of course, that said opponent had hand-shaped wings on his back, and was of a strange indigo hue.

"Let's settle things here, shall we?" said the newcomer, a slightly insane gleam in his eye. "This has been long overdue, and you did promise me a rematch."

"Indeed I did…" said Naruto, pulling out his second Raijin.

Kabuto smiled.

"Sasuke."

---

I know some of you are going to kill me for putting Sakura in such an evil position, but peer pressure and prejudice are stronger than one might imagine.

By the way, anyone wishing to discuss the finer points of anything, mail me and I'll send my MSN over. OR you could just leave a (preferably) non-scathing review…please?

Sorry for the overwhelming lateness. Having a writer's block and my days aren't exactly very rosy… So forgive me if this chapter is sub-standard. I promise the next will be better.

Please continue to support me, and thanks for the awesome reviews. Best of luck to you all!


	21. Chapter Twenty: La Fin de la Folie

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not earning anything of monetary value from this endeavor._

**Insanity's Ending**

**Chapter Twenty: La fin de la folie**

"_Let's settle things here, shall we?" said the newcomer, a slightly insane gleam in his eye. "This has been long overdue, and you did promise me a rematch."_

"_Indeed I did…" said Naruto, pulling out his second Raijin. _

_Kabuto smiled._

"_Sasuke."_

With a slight hum, the blade of yellow coursed out of Naruto's Raijin, and he held it, along with the already-active one at guard, pausing a moment before dashing forward to meet his opponents. Naruto noted, to his chagrin, that Sasuke had activated his Sharingan. With a running stab, Sasuke and Kabuto scattered, leaping to the right and left, respectively. With a quick move, Naruto kicked off the ground, heading for Kabuto. With a small swipe, which Kabuto dodged, Naruto disappeared, appearing directly behind a retreating Sasuke.

His arms raised in a helmet-breaker stance, Naruto slashed downward, hitting Sasuke on one of his wings. Sasuke screamed in agony as a chunk of his wing fell off, and electricity coursed through his body, causing him to stagger to his knees. Naruto landed deftly on the grass, his blades poised to strike, when he suddenly spun, swinging his blade in a wide arc to deter the now-advancing Kabuto. Suddenly, Naruto choked slightly as he felt an extremely strong hand grip the back of his neck, squeezing in an attempt to break his spinal cord.

Naruto disappeared and reappeared again behind Sasuke, who, now prepared for it, spun wildly, his hand-like wings smacking Naruto roughly into a tree, which promptly collapsed. Naruto looked up immediately, dashing forward and dodging needles as quickly as Kabuto threw them. Sasuke rose up into the air, his back to the sun. his wing had evidently regenerated, as Naruto looked up quickly, squinting as sunlight hit his eyes. With a curse, Naruto rolled to his side, narrowly avoiding a dive-bomb from the airborne Sasuke. As he rolled to his feet, two needles embedded themselves in his left arm. With a curse, Naruto grabbed them and tore them out, noting, with annoyance, the numbness now growing where the wounds had been.

A smiling Kabuto walked slowly to the blonde, while Sasuke readied another dive-bomb. Naruto grasped around in his pouch, as he began sweating from the poison. Finally retrieving what he wanted, Naruto stuck the syringe into his arm, the faintly blue liquid draining into his bloodstream as Kabuto looked on, visibly irritated that his poison had been foiled. Naruto didn't need to look up to know what was coming as a heavy impact rocketed into his torso, slamming him into the ground and creating a great crater as it went. Naruto growled as the force continued, pushing him into the dirt and across the field. Naruto held his now-inactive Raijin up, slamming it into his attacker's back, and activating it.

A scream of anger came from said attacker as he was flung into yet another tree. Coughing the bad blood out, Naruto looked on as Sasuke struggled and writhed in agony on the floor as the pain kicked in fully. Kabuto was standing on the far side of the field. With a quick series of Seals, Kabuto slapped his palms together, and with a mumble, spat out a series of torso-sized fireballs. Naruto vaguely flinched as he dodged aside, the rapid-firing barrage of fireballs unceasing in its ferocity. With a rapid Hiraishin back to Sasuke, he lifted the still-writhing Uchiha's body and held it in front of him as the flaming spheres impacted, causing more screams from the 'unfortunate' boy.

Naruto smiled slightly as the barrage ceased, tossing the Uchiha aside. His formidable regeneration would assure his safety, though the pain…

Naruto dashed forward, both Raijin drawn as he charged. Kabuto grasped the Kusanagi lightly, retrieving a small kunai, perhaps to supplement his blade. Meeting Naruto head on, Kabuto manipulated his weapons reasonably well, though he was still far outclassed by Naruto, who was, by far, a better swordsman. With a feint, Kabuto performed an overhead swipe with his kunai, supplemented by his chakra, thereby increasing its range. Naruto stepped back, narrowly avoiding the almost-visible Chakra-inlay. Kabuto saw his chance and thrust the Kusanagi forward, only to have it slapped aside by one of Naruto's Raijin.

Naruto flicked his right Raijin, and gashed Kabuto's arm, cutting his accessory cephalic vein, producing a splatter of blood. The Kusanagi dropped to the ground as Kabuto fell back, nursing his right arm and attempting to stem the blood flow with his medical jutsu. Kabuto cursed under his breath as he retreated, stepping back slowly as Naruto approached to deal the killing blow.

"Habataku Chidori!" came a cry from behind, urging Naruto to dodge. However, it was too little, too late as intense pain shot through Naruto's body. The blonde looked down to see Sasuke's electricity-covered hand reaching out from his waist. He noted with perhaps misplaced interest that the lightning was now black instead of blue; an indication of Sasuke's now-modified chakra. Naruto grunted and attempted to pull away, when, suddenly, Kabuto grabbed him by his shoulder, and, with a sharp movement, impaled him on the Kusanagi.

"You almost hit me, you twit!" came Sasuke's voice from behind as Naruto slouched, his spine snapped from the chidori's entry. Sasuke pulled his arm out quickly, as did Kabuto, leaving Naruto collapsed on the ground, blood streaming out from the gaping wounds. Naruto struggled to ignore the pain, moving his right arm in an attempt to perform a Gogyo Kaiin. Suddenly, he found that his fingers weren't there anymore. Growling in annoyance, he looked up to see a grinning Kabuto. Naruto felt his spine patching itself up slowly, though they'd probably slice his head off before it could repair itself fully.

"_Don't fucking die, you little earwax."_ Came a familiar voice. _"Get past your bloody stigmas and FIGHT!" _

Two glowing eyes.

Naruto growled a bit as Kabuto kicked him in the stomach. He looked up to see Sasuke, his face contorted into a maniacal grin. Kabuto was also quite amused, kicking and kicking and kicking and…well, basically not noticing the rapid movements of Naruto's left hand. Well, actually they did notice, but only when he said it.

"Katon, Karyuudan no jutsu!"

The air was still for a moment, before a great serpentine form erupted into being around Naruto's body, incinerating the surrounding grass and scorching the earth. The flame dragon reared up, and with a mighty roar, spat out a great succession of 'Goukakyuu'-sized fireballs, which produced enormous explosions where they landed. Kabuto and Sasuke separated and leapt across the grassy area, dodging where they could and minimizing where they couldn't. Kabuto seemed aghast at this sudden turn of events. It was, indeed preposterous. To be able to produce a 'ryuudan technique using one handed seals?

Meanwhile, in the safety of the dragon's coils, Naruto placed his left hand on his back, where the great hole was, and, with a flash of green, began to heal the wound. It wasn't as large as he thought, though he was still bleeding profusely. Naruto looked up, his apathetic gaze now focused on the flying figure above him. Naruto stood to his feet shakily, his innate demon-granted regenerative prowess now in full steam, assisted by his Shosen jutsu. He wouldn't be fighting at full speed for a very long time, but it would be enough.

Naruto shook his head and reached for his severed digits on the ground, placing each individual one back into its respective socket, where the Kyuubi's red chakra, leaking slowly out of the wounds, almost grasping them, knitting bone and tissue back together. Naruto tested his fingers, moving them individually. Some nerve endings had not been restored yet, but he was capable of seals and wielding of his blades. Naruto ducked aside just as Sasuke's winged form came bursting through the flame and dispelling the dragon. Naruto turned to see Sasuke clawing at the ground, before looking up, his eyes gleaming with insanity.

Behind him, Kabuto stood still, performing a large series of seals, before placing his palms on the ground. With a great burst of smoke, Manda, the great indigo serpent emerged, hissing harshly as he coiled around Kabuto's position. With a scant look at Naruto, Manda looked back at Kabuto and hissed, mouthing a few select vulgarities, before telling him to provide a thousand sacrifices.

"Die, you freak!" cried Sasuke, charging forward as Naruto sidestepped, activating both Raijin and cutting one of the Uchiha's wings off. With a swift spin, Naruto plunged both blades into the Uchiha's gut, kneeing him in the groin and roundhousing him to the side as Kabuto charged forth, on the great serpent's head. Naruto narrowly managed to dodge, evading neatly to the side, where the dust from Manda's charge settled. Naruto recovered quickly, unclasping his gauntlet. Manda was quickly coiled up again. Like a compressed spring, he 'bounced' up, bent on flattening the tiny (in comparison) blonde.

Drawing blood across the elaborate tattoo, Naruto could hear Kabuto shouting as Manda's shadow loomed. Naruto grinned, and disappeared.

Naruto reappeared in the forest, where one of his kunai had hit a tree. The massive explosion caused by Manda's return to ground shook the trees, sending any birds who hadn't yet escaped fleeing in fear. Naruto sighed as he planted his palms upon the ground. He wouldn't call Horus. This was not a matter of right versus wrong. This was a mission, so Horus was unlikely to comply.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

A great cloud of smoke exploded from the forest as an incredibly large hawk rose from the forest, collapsing trees in its wake. With a flap of its great wings, it was airborne, circling the hissing Manda. Naruto mouthed his instructions to the great hawk, and they swooped in, dodging the great number of fireballs Kabuto was now sending up. The great hawk spread its wings, swooping up as its immense talons ripped across Manda's back, eliciting screeches of annoyance and pain.

The great hawk swooped once again into the sky, dodging where it could and minimizing where he couldn't. Kabuto seemed to be launching a neverending volley of fireballs, perhaps a testament to his impressive Chakra reserves.

"I cannot take this barrage for long." Said the hawk, its voice soft, but ringing with authority.

"Then we'll have to finish this fast. Swoop in one more time. And…"

With a screech of understanding, the Hawk charged in once again, getting hit by a few fireballs, but not really feeling the effects. This time, as the hawk neared the great serpent, Naruto leapt off, drawing and activating both his blades.

"Tenken; Hyakuhei no** kuchikukan!" cried he, swinging both the Raijin in wide arcs, then repeating in the opposite directions. Kabuto leapt off the great serpent's head just as it began sliding off, bursting into flame at Naruto's command.**

**Kabuto dropped and rolled on the ground, holing up his kusanagi to block Naruto's blows. Naruto flipped in midair, spinning slightly as his blades span with him.**

**"Tenken; Tokoyonokuni no Houko!" cried he, his blades bursting on fire and causing a great explosion as they connected with Kabuto's Kusanagi. Kabuto staggered as he struggled to recover, looking up just as Naruto began approaching. With a growl, Kabuto began to run. Naruto noted the hand seals he had begun, and began hand seals of his own. Kabuto soon stopped and turned.**

**"Doton; Doryuudan!" cried the grey-haired sound nin, a column of earth erupting from the ground and sculpting itself into the guise of a dragon. Charging at Naruto, the dragon opened its jaws, just as Naruto completed his own set of seals.**

**"Raiton; Raikou!" shouted Naruto, an arc of blue lightning erupting from his finger. The bolt of lightning pierced the 'dragon's mouth, causing an explosion from the inside-out. Naruto looked on as the dust from the explosion settled. Suddenly, Kabuto's voice rang out over the settling dust.**

**"Doton; Sanryuu bakuhatsu!" Naruto's eyes widened as three stone dragons holding red pearls in their mouths erupted from the dust, heading straight for him. Naruto immediately began running backwards, flipping where he could to avoid Kabuto's semi-intelligent missiles. With a high jump, Naruto disappeared and reappeared on a spot below the dragons. Forming a Rasengan before they had time to react, Naruto pushed it into one of the dragon's 'neck's. the resulting damage caused the owned of the neck to collapse, causing a fantastic explosion where it landed. Naruto had to move quickly as the other two, noting the source of their fallen companion's demise, charged straight at him, forcing him to leap high into the air in order to dodge them. **

**Suddenly, Naruto felt a hand grasp him by the head. Growling in annoyance, Naruto grabbed his assailant's wrist, and, realizing who, exactly it was, teleported behind him and delivered a vicious kick to his side. Sasuke fell to the side, getting hit at the side by one of the dragons, though not hard enough for it to explode.**

**Naruto was vaguely aware of Kabuto's charging at him as he began forming seals while dashing at full speed across the grass. **

**"Doton; Doryuheki!" cried Naruto, leaping forward and turning back, spitting a glob of earth out, which, upon touching ground, erupted upwards in an incredibly large pillar of earth, dwarfing the trees in size. The two remaining dragons, unable to change their trajectories, detonated relatively harmlessly upon the great stone wall. Naruto looked around, growling as he leapt aside to avoid Sasuke. Kabuto charged at him from behind, swinging his blade with little finesse. Naruto staggered as he reached ground. He flinched as the Kusanagi erupted from his belly, having been stuck into his back by Kabuto.**

**Naruto exhaled and grasped the blade's edge, gripping tightly as Kabuto struggled to retrieve it. Naruto grunted, and twisted to the side, planting the inactive Raijin on the side of Kabuto's head. Kabuto jumped back swiftly, letting go of the Kusanagi as he went. He began another set of seals, when, suddenly, he paused, because of an increasingly large shadow overhead. With a great screech, Naruto's summoned hawk swooped down, its great talons aiming straight for Kabuto. In an act that, he would later regret, Kabuto let loose his prepared jutsu at the Hawk.**

**"Suiton; Teppodama!" cried the grey-haired youth, launching an immense globule of water into the air. While on its course to hit the Hawk, it never actually succeeded as the hawk burst into a cloud of smoke, the byproduct of a de-summoning. Kabuto looked around frantically, only to have something cold and hard placed on the side of his head. A powerful grip clamped around his neck, preventing his escape.**

**"No, no! Don't…" cried Kabuto erratically, attempting in vain to free himself of Naruto's vice-like grip, and his inevitable death.**

**With a brief hum, Kabuto fell to the ground, twitching slightly before staying still on the ground. It occurred to Naruto that he had never planted a seal on Kabuto, perhaps an indication of his skill or preparedness. Wincing as he pushed the Kusanagi out of his waist, Naruto fell onto one knee and coughed out a glob of black blood. He scanned the surrounding area, before a cry came from above.**

**"NARUTOOOOOO!" screamed the winged Uchiha, charging down from above, his demonic-black chidori held out like a spear. Naruto stepped forward, and hefting his second Raijin, spun around and smashed it into the incoming attack. With a great flash of light, cracks slowly snaked across the Raijin, causing it to shatter, its chakra-dispelling ability not able to handle such an incredible attack. Dropping the remaining handle, Naruto immediately charged a Rasengan up, grinding it into Sasuke's remaining wing, though his lost one was regenerating rapidly.**

**With a yell of rage, Sasuke, both his wings put out-of-use, kicked Naruto's knee, causing him to buckle. Naruto growled and threw a punch, only to have Sasuke dodge it rather easily. Naruto squinted, and leapt back, understanding what had happened. Sasuke looked straight at him with his now three-tomoe Sharingan, his smile growing ever more.**

**"Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu!" cried Sasuke, a great fireball emerging from his mouth. Naruto dodged aside, his left pants leg slightly singed as he leapt forward, his Raijin activated.**

**"Do you know the story of the Fourth Hokage and Uchiha Benimaru?" said Naruto, attacking quickly, but uselessly, as Sasuke avoided every attack.**

**"What the hell are you talking for, blondie?" said Sasuke, his attacks also being avoided or countered by Naruto. "I don't want to talk, I want you to DIE!"**

**"The Uchiha clan's champion, Benimaru, challenged the fourth for leadership of Konoha in a council-sanctioned match." Said Naruto, smartly dodging sasuke's attacks and retaliating with his own. "They met in the forest of death to settle it."**

**"I don't like where this is going, blondie. Shut up and die!" cried Sasuke, as Naruto backflipped, deactivating his Raijin and placing it back in its holster. "Underestimating me, are you? Well, fuck you to hell!" **

**Naruto got into his trademark stance, grabbing Sasuke's right wrist and slamming his elbow harshly with a palm strike. Sasuke growled in anger and leapt at Naruto again, swiping at him with his now elongated claws. Naruto smacked the attempts aside with his own wrist and moved in, delivering a kick to Sasuke's left ankle, causing him to stumble, while pushing his elbow back and producing a rib-cracking impact, forcing Sasuke back onto his rear.**

**"The Fourth defeated the Uchiha not by the ruthless use of his Hiraishin, but by placing him in situations even the Sharingan would be hard pressed to allow him a way out." Said Naruto, re-activating his blade and holding it to Sasuke's neck. **

**With a harsh growl, Sasuke batted the blade aside, wincing at the shock. His wings now fully regenerated, he pushed off the ground and flew into the air, perhaps in an attempt to flee. He Was about twenty meters above ground when Naruto finished his seals.**

**"Raiton; Raikou!" he shouted, the familiar arc of lightning shooting from his fingers and hitting Sasuke square on the back. This was evidently not enough, as the Uchiha continued his flight, only slightly winded from the blast. With a short curse, Naruto teleported, appearing on Sasuke's back and delivering a harsh double kick to the back. Sasuke plummeted to the ground, hitting earth with a sickening 'crunch' as undoubtedly more bones splintered. Naruto landed nearby, his Raijin activated and ready.**

**Sasuke got up shakily, barely supporting his own weight. His regeneration was, indeed working, but it did nothing to stifle the pain he was evidently feeling. With a growl and a shake of his rather long mane of hair, Sasuke began running towards Naruto, accelerating slowly and moving into a lunge. Naruto moved swiftly aside, and, with a swift movement, kicked Sasuke in the stomach. Stumbling a bit, The Uchiha seemed to back away, facing down Naruto, who was in a readied stance, his Raijin activated and ready.**

**"We could go on forever." Said Sasuke, grinning. His grin turned quickly to a frown as Naruto deactivated his Raijin and placed it in its holster. "What the hell are you…"**

**"Kanashibari no jutsu." Came a voice from behind him.**

**Sasuke fell to the ground, a shocked expression still present on his face. An ANBU stood behind him, wearing a white coat. He was flanked soon after by two black-coated ANBU. The white-coat took off his mask and looked straight at Naruto.**

**"Good job, Naruto." Said he, his associates picking Sasuke up, while another team, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere, retrieved Kabuto's body. A few medic nin wandered out of the forest soon after, though they did not find much to do. Sasuke's wings soon disappeared, along with the odd coloration of his skin.**

**"Not that good, Yamato." Naruto said, his gaze following Sasuke's form for a while. "I've got to learn that technique…"**

**Yamato laughed.**

**The Fifth Hokage sat in her chair, twiddling with a pen. Veins were vaguely present on her forehead and temples. She was, obviously, under a lot of stress. The three people in front of her were infuriating her to no end. They were members of Konoha's civilian council and two were driving for the death sentence. Not as a whole, of course. Just for Naruto. Lucky boy. Yes, they had, in fact, awoken her at seven in the morning to condemn the person who had returned the Uchiha to Konoha.**

**Naruto himself stood outside the door, looking in through a small slot. At his side were two ANBU, told to escort him there as soon as he returned. As he had expected, even his retrieval of Sasuke didn't assure him the nullification of the death penalty. He could only sigh as the argument raged on inside the Fifth's office.**

**"The Kyuubi vessel is obviously a threat to our community!" cried one, and elderly woman gesturing wildly with her arms, as if to give an impression of the nine-tailed foxes great size.**

**"Yes, yes. It should be eliminated before it is allowed to break free!" said another, an old man in his late seventies.**

**"While I, too am inclined to wish for Uzumaki Naruto's death, on the wishes of our citizens, I find that he is no more a threat to Konoha than Uchiha Sasuke is." Said the final council member, the only one who wasn't totally for the skinning of the so-called 'Kyuubi vessel'. He was Mitokado Homura, the only civilian council member who had, after numerous meetings with Naruto, warmed to him considerably, thanks to the Third's influence.**

**Tsunade perked up slightly at the last statement. With a slight smile to Homura, which was not returned, She faced each council member individual, resting her gaze once again on Homura.**

**"What, then, can you suggest, Mitokado-san?" she said, her own, and, indeed the eyes of the others fixed intently upon the elderly man. **

**"Exile." Said he, struggling internally as the word left his mouth. Tsunade considered it for a moment, ignoring the slight protests of the other two, who were still pushing for execution. Tsunade could only sigh, swiveling her chair to face the window. Her brow was stretched into a frown, and only divine intervention could have stopped her from utterly slaughtering the two fools behind her. Restraining herself in an impressive display of poise, she turned around, her amber eyes flashing with thinly-covered anger.**

**"You are condemning him to life as a missing nin." She said, looking straight at each of the council members. "At least grant him a position somewhere in an outpost away from here…Give him some meaning…"**

**Naruto was touched. Tsunade was truly battling for his life. He couldn't say what he'd done to deserve it, but it was sorely appreciated nonetheless. Naruto's thoughts were drawn to Homura, who was speaking up again.**

**"We have an outpost, an embassy, if you will, a great distance to the west of here. In the area known to us only as Ropeue. We have established a small outpost there to conduct relations, and it's nearly halfway across the globe…" said Homura, looking straight at the Fifth. "I already have another shinobi there, but he's due to return. It's convenient and we'll not see him for quite an amount of time."**

**Tsunade sighed.**

**Naruto walked into his apartment, closing the door behind him as he went. The Hokage's verdict was to be announced in the afternoon, though the Council had pushed for a mock-trial to be put into place. Naruto could do nothing by wait.**

**Naruto picked up one of his books, fallen to the ground because of Ino's rampage. He had heard that she had been let off incredibly lightly, Though he couldn't have expected much more. It then occurred to him that he was feeling faint. Stumbling backwards, he fell onto his couch, falling unconscious immediately. Poison? Thought he, as blackness overtook his senses. Suddenly, a literal light at the end of the dark tunnel appeared, with someone at its doorway.**

**"****_Yo."_**** Came the familiar voice. ****_"I'm glad that even one such as yourself has the sense to heed my threats."_**

**Naruto found himself in the same white room, seated on the same white couch facing the same strange flashy box. He looked to the ;other', sitting with his legs folded on a black chair on the opposite side of the room. The 'other' was reading a book, apparently on the 'art' of waging war. The 'other' finally put the book down and looked up, a grin falling over his face.**

**"Would you really have done it?" asked Naruto, looking straight at his counterpart.**

**"_Hell yes." _****Said he, his grin turning into a malevolent smile, then into a sheepish frown. ****_"I wouldn't want to, but I would."_**

**"Why?" Naruto asked, folding his legs to mirror the 'other's.**

**"_Stupid question…Then again…"_**** said he, shifting slightly. ****_"Understand this, my friend. We are both parts of a person's mind. You know this. I am Uzumaki Naruto's drives and instincts, and you are Uzumaki Naruto's conscience and sense of reasoning. The Ego was supposed to do that, but since he doesn't exist anymore…"_**

**Naruto stared unblinkingly at his counterpart, who was currently drinking that same brown bubbly liquid he had seen in their previous meetings.**

**"_Your sense of reasoning has been corrupted by your function as a part of the psyche, that is to say, your reasoning not includes the clause 'for the greater good', and therefore you are willing to kill Uzumaki Naruto in order to make the world a better place." _****Said the other, making slight movements with his index finger. ****_"I do not agree to this."_**

**"Because you are the Id, the chaos and the driving force?"**

**"_No, because I am his humanity." _****Said the Id simply, looking straight at Naruto. ****_"Do you know why people have both a Super-Ego and an Id?"_**

**Naruto began to speak, but was cut off immediately.**

**"_No, you don't. Your logical explanations will do you no good here." _****Said the 'other'. ****_"One is the embodiment of his human nature and the other, the embodiment of the wish, the logic that one could be more than human."_**

**Naruto was puzzled.**

**"_The Super-Ego in itself is the desire to do good, whether 'good' is bad in any context. A being made purely of a super-ego is bound for insanity, as he would, after the better part of four seconds, that nothing is black or white…Which brings us to you. You are both the Super-Ego and half the Ego, and are therefore able to mediate between your experiences. That, however, still makes you a self-righteous zealot, but, hey, what can you do?"_**

**"But that, in turn would inquire that you have half of the Ego within you as well." Said Naruto, frowning. "And that you would be able to control your experiences as well as I can mine."**

**"_Here's a cookie." _****Said the 'Other', tossing Naruto a cookie. ****_"Why, pray tell, do you think I didn't rape Sakura, slaughter the village, and brutally mutilate Orochimaru's body?"_**

**Naruto nodded, though he couldn't help but shudder at the examples.**

**"_Don't want Sakura now, though…" _****said the other, chewing a cookie of his own. Naruto looked away. ****_"So, anyway. Back to the topic. I hope you understand this. No matter how the Ego mediates between my desires and my actions, I will do whatever it takes to keep Uzumaki Naruto alive, Be it killing every single soul in that disgusting village, or just killing people, in general."_**

**"Why are you telling me your reasons all of a sudden?"**

**"_Because we're going to die and I don't get to talk to you much." _****Said the 'Other', smiling.**

**"Die?"**

**"_Why did I allow your to handle Orochimaru's lapdog and the Emo-faggot?" _****asked the 'Other'. **

**Naruto shook his head slightly.**

**"_If I had appeared, I would doubtlessly have annihilated every last trace of them from existence. And have killed the Uchiha boy. Dooming us to death anyway…Or, well, the death of your village…" _****said he, grinning. ****_"But there is another reason. When one is exposed to the Kyuubi's soul-rending chakra for too long, one's body is affected. How, your face asks. Well, firstly, healing factors don't come cheap. Every wound that heals especially fast will age your internal systems by twelve hours. Now, think about it. The Kyuubi, its flaming chakra surrounding you, would cause third degree burns at a very, very regular basis. Something along the lines of, oh, Three hundred per two minutes?"_**

**Naruto almost stood out of his seat.**

**"_Shocking, isn't it. You might be wondering why I'm acting so peaceful immediately after saying that we're going to die. That's because this is inevitable. We suffer from what is known as 'type three non-genetic progeria.'. While it will not continue without stimulus, further use of the Kyuubi's chakra will likely accelerate it, and therefore kill us. I hadn't foreseen the side effects…Our internal organs are currently functioning like those of a fifty-year old's. We will die young, I'm afraid."_**

**"But…the burns alone cannot cause such aging…"**

**"_You are correct. What, pray tell, did you think happens to all the Raikiri and Chidori and stabbings and cutting-off-of-fingers?"  
_**

**Naruto frowned.**

**"_Nothing we can do…"_**

**There was silence.**

**"_What did you see when the two red eyes appeared?" _**

**Naruto looked up, perhaps still not grasping the subject of his inevitable death too well yet.**

**"A young boy surrounded by adults who were pelting him with stones. He was wearing a white shirt, though there was a lot of blood on it." Naruto said, trying to remember. He then looked at his counterpart. "Who was that child? Why was he being attacked and what does he have to do with me?"**

**"_That was Uzumaki Naruto." _****Said the other simply. ****_"Moron."_**

**Naruto frowned.**

**"Then why wasn't I seeing through his eyes?"**

**"_Because we were both facets. Nothing solid, just ideologies." _****Said the other, sipping his drink. ****_"Forget it. Your time here is over."_**

**"Wait, tell me about…"**

**Naruto's eyes shot open, and he shot out of the chair, collapsing back soon after when he noted that the 'other' was not there. He held up his hand, and looked it over, sighing as he leaned back on the couch. Death was not such an alien prospect to Naruto, indeed, he had been incredibly close to it on numerous occasions. But this…It was a confirmed sentence, a counter upon his head measuring the time he had left. Even the 'other' who wanted and enjoyed life so much was resigned to his fate. The lack of hope was in itself, truly gut wrenching.**

**Naruto sat in his seat, his extremities feeling strangely cold, even on such a hot day. He could only gaze into nothingness as he considered his situation. A deep feeling in the pit of his belly seemed to be the only thing he could focus on. He had not experienced anything of the sort for a long while. It was nervousness, even anxiety, a feeling so prevalent in his younger years but so incredibly unbelievable now. Naruto's head jerked slightly as a rapping of knuckles at the door caught his attention, and he walked to receive it, still feeling rather cold.**

**"Naruto, the Hokage wants to see you…" said a somber looking Kakashi at the doorway. Naruto nodded numbly and followed him out, closing the door behind him and steeling himself.**

**The two walked down the deserted lane in silence, navigating through Konoha's twists and turns with relative ease. They soon got to the business district, where merchants, only moments ago cheerfully hawking their wares, went totally silent as their most dreaded nemesis approached. Mumbling began amongst the gathered crowd, and some openly displayed their apparent hatred of him with curses and other nasty things.**

**"Kakashi, kill him!" cried a young man, immediately backed up by a multitude of cheers. Naruto hadn't been to very crowded areas before, mostly relying on a rather secluded shop near his house, where he had established a relative friendship with the shopkeeper. Naruto was, frankly, not surprised at the hostility portrayed by the villagers, though, deep within him, he had hoped of something better, perhaps a facet of actual humanity in these masses, a hope all but eradicated now.**

**They walked through the crowded market, Naruto weathering the stares and insults. He had quite wondered why Kakashi had insisted on taking such a crowded route, but he had a rough idea of what Kakashi was doing, though he hardly thought it apt, it would have been somewhat of a blessing, had it worked.**

**They soon reached the center of town, the Hokage building. At its door were a group of Chuunin, holding off the crowds of antagonists. Many were holding banners and chanting rather catchy slogans like 'Die, Demon, die!' or 'don't you dare breather our air'. Kakashi escorted Naruto into the Hokage building, where the shut doors provided some relief from the rabble. **

**"Just hope for the best, Naruto." Said Kakashi, pointing to an ornate wooden door down the corridor. Naruto turned and smiled, bowing. Even in his current situation, all he could do was his best to set those who worried to rest.**

**"It has been my honor, Sensei." **

**With a firm handshake, Naruto headed for the door, pushing it open and heading for judgment.**

**Shadows fell over nearly every corner of the room. Its blinds drawn and the lights off, It was the epitome of malevolence, though it was not intended as so. No, the room had been intended for the meting out of justice and repercussion, though it was only reserved for criminals of the highest order. The Fifth sat at a great desk at the end of the room. Adding to it was the fact that it was on a raised platform. To his left was a raised box, where his prosecutors, and, less likely, defenders, would be seated.**

**"Good afternoon, Naruto." Said Tsunade, her voice rather strained. "The council has deliberated and will now announce the results of your…trial…"**

**Naruto nodded slightly and, at Tsunade's gesture, turned to the right, where the council sat, with Homura at its head. The old lady, whose silhouette Naruto recognized as Utatane Koharu, another of the Third's former classmates. She, unlike Homura, had steadfastly refused to associate with Naruto, apparently because of her grandson being lost in the Kyuubi's attack. She and her other associate, the other old man, had been vehemently ruling against Naruto in every situation his name arose in.**

**"Uzumaki Naruto, the following charges have been filed against you by the hidden village of fire's civilian council." Said Homura, picking up a piece of paper. "Assault on a fellow shinobi of the same allegiance, Assault on the remaining heir of a clan…classified as the elimination of a clan, Murder, high treason and various offenses against Konoha's laws."**

**Homura looked up, placing down the paper and evidently trying his hardest not to crumple it.**

**"How do you plead?" **

**Naruto looked up, then at Tsunade, then back.**

**"I plead innocence." Cried Naruto without hesitation.**

**"Do not lie, scum!" cried Koharu, standing so that her face was partially visible in the dim light. "You assaulted Uchiha Sasuke and attempted to take his life!"**

**"Only in self defense, my lady." Said Naruto, looking straight at his accuser. "Uchiha Sasuke, in a fit of rage, attacked me prior to my retaliation."**

**"Have you any proof or are you simply lying as your kin do so well?" growled Koharu, her voice dripping with malice. She smiled as Naruto bowed his head.**

**"Only the truth of my words, my lady. I cannot give you any more proof than what I say. To that end, I place in your hands my fate." Naruto said, looking at her once again. Asking Sakura to the stand had crossed his mind, but it had fled as quickly as it had come, for obvious reasons.**

**"Your fate, had it been decided by me, would have been nothing worse than death!" cried the elderly woman, displaying vigor beyond her years and anger beyond comprehension. Homura stood and sat her down, exchanging some harsh dialogue with her in the process. Homura soon stood again, sighing as he continued. "No proof has been put forth by the defendant, but it has been established that he did, indeed assault the Uchiha, therefore Uzumaki Naruto is guilty for the charge of assault."**

**"The charge of attempted elimination of a clan; by the assassination or elimination of its final remaining heir is also tied to the charges of Murder and high treason." Homura said, pushing his glasses up. "How do you plead?"**

**"I am innocent." Said Naruto, his voice and mannerisms still dignifies even after Koharu's scathing assault and the subsequent verdict.**

**"You have already been proven guilty, and of lying to us. Just accept your death with honor!" shouted the Homura's other counterpart.**

**"I will disgrace this court if I am slain on false charges. On the event, One will note that, while in possession of my full arsenal of weapons, I did not attempt to, in any way kill Uchiha Sasuke. I merely intended to incapacitate him as he was on the verge of utilizing a B-rank assassination technique, the Chidori." Said Naruto, looking each of his jurors in the eye. "additionally, as you would have heartily ignored, the Uchiha clan has one additional scion. Uchiha Itachi. Therefore, I request that charge be voided."**

**"Uchiha Itachi is a missing-nin, and is therefore…" began Koharu.**

**"Still a scion of the Uchiha clan." Said Naruto, looking her in the eye, much to her discomfort. Homura seemed pleased, as did the Fifth.**

**"The charges of high treason and attempted elimination of a clan are hereby voided." Said Homura, smiling for a moment before frowning again as his two associates began clamoring. With a single look, he silenced them. "While you have provided substantial evidence for your innocence in terms of attempted murder, it cannot be doubted that you have presented no proof whatsoever to clear your assault charges."**

**Naruto could almost see the smugness flowing off the other two…**

**"We of the council have already predetermined your fate. This trial did prove to clarify some things and clear you entirely of the death penalty." Homura said, eyeing Naruto. "We have decided to grant you the compulsory title of Konoha Special Chuunin, as well as a posting near the capital of Ropeue, Nlodon."**

**Naruto nodded slightly.**

**"As our ambassador to that region, you will be in charge of maintaining whatever relations we have with them and stopping any sort of military conflict, should any begin." Homura said, perhaps knowing full well the foolishness of his words. Ropeue had not even officially acknowledged their existence yet, let alone formed diplomatic ties, or diplomatic anything, for that matter. "You will be posted there for an indefinite amount of time, unless Konoha is in dire need of you."**

**Another nod.**

**"In that case, you are dismissed. You will have two weeks to plan your departure…"**

**"I need one day." Said Naruto, interrupting softly. "Today, to be exact. I can leave in the morning. I will need a map and supplies, so can I expect at least that?"**

**"Yes. Adequate supplies and four different maps of the areas you will be passing through will be allowed for use. You are to go to a port town in the southern part of the Fire country. From there, the current ambassador, who has just returned, and is staying there in anticipation of your arrival, will guide you to the ships and inform you of Ropeue's customs."**

**Homura paused.**

**"You are dismissed, Uzumaki Naruto." Said the elderly man, pausing again. "One more thing."**

**Naruto turned and looked at him.**

**"It has been requested that the girl from the Sound country be taken with you. She seems to be asking for you, and we would deem it fitting if you would take her along." Said Homura, with a slight glance to the Hokage. "Is that agreeable?"**

**"Yes, thank you." Said Naruto, smiling slightly. With a small bow to both Homura and Tsunade, he disappeared through the doorway.**

**Naruto opened his cupboard, sorting through his various items of clothing, and noted that he could technically carry them all in one bag. He silently wondered why he had so few clothes, though a look at his current torn and tattered set was quite enough to answer his question. He pulled out a woolen jacket from deep within the recesses of his cupboard and folded it, placing it neatly into a moderately sized camping-backpack on the nearby bed. With a slight glance around his room, he began folding all of his clothes and piling them up into his bag. **

**A small knocking sound could be heard from the living room, drawing Naruto's attention. With a few deft steps to the door, It was opened, revealing Kakashi and Mitarashi Anko. Naruto smiled at them, and Anko gave a weak one, but it disappeared as Naruto let them in. They sat themselves down in the living room while Naruto hurried into the kitchen. He brought a small fruit basket out, its contents still fresh, along with some chocolate chip cookies.**

**"Wow. Who gave you those?" asked Anko, looking desirably at the cookies. Naruto merely smiled.**

**"I got them from Kotetsu and the staff at the administration building. The fruit basket, too." Said Naruto, ducking back into his own room. **

**"Naruto, how are you feeling?" came Anko's voice. Naruto paused in his folding, before turning again and giving a plastic smile no one could see.**

**"Fine, Anko-san. Just fine." Said he, folding the last pair of trousers and placing them neatly into his bag. "Would you happen to have any spare camping bags around?"**

**Anko and Kakashi looked at each other.**

**"Yes…" said Kakashi, pausing a moment. "Why?"**

**"The girl's coming as well. I'm guessing Konoha doesn't want any undesirables within their walls at all…" muttered Naruto, walking out into the hall and selecting a few books from his bookshelf. "Why are we all so somber again?"**

**Kakashi sighed.**

**"Why are you pretending, Naruto?" asked the grey-haired Jounin, exasperated. "I know you love this village and I know…"**

**"A lot, I guess." Naruto said, cutting in. With a small laugh, he continued. "I do love this village. I truly do."**

**"Then why are you pretending to enjoy this?"**

**"I'm not. I really am enjoying this." Said Naruto, pausing in his selection to look at a few of the books in his arms. "Would momotaro be a good book to bring along?"**

**"Naruto…" said Kakashi, ignoring the comment. Naruto turned, and faced with two dead-serious faces, sighed and placed his pile of books down.**

**"I will be doing my duty to Konoha, and that is all that matters." Said Naruto, the smile disappearing as he sat down on his chair. With a raised hand to stop any questions or exclamations, he continued. "I've just found out a lovely little thing from someone and I'm really not in the mood for feeling like crap right now. I don't want anyone to worry, and I don't want to worry."**

**"But we care for you and…" began Anko, before being cut off.**

**"I won't be here for very long now. I don't want anyone to think of me in a worrisome context. I can take care of myself now, and it's thanks to you guys and all the others who've accepted me." Said Naruto, with a wide smile. **

**Kakashi soon stood to leave, and, with a small look at Anko, she stood as well. Kakashi promised to bring a spare bag when he'd found one and Anko promised to bring by some clothes, an offer which rather shocked Naruto until she mentioned they would be for the girl. **

**Naruto closed the door behind them, and then moved into the kitchen, where a small bottle of apple juice awaited. With a short look out the window, where the sunlight seemed almost grey, He began to sip his juice.**

**Naruto walked through the many lines of metal gates, through the security and into the damp looking cell. This was Konoha's containment cell, where the temporary convicts or the just-interred were placed, in anticipation of their eventual transportation to the maximum security facility. The redhead, while still considered a threat, had been placed here once again, after having broken out once before. She looked up as he approached and, with a few feeble steps forward, grasped the bars that separated them.**

**"Just a little while longer. You'll have to wait just one more night in here." Said he, in a comforting tone. She nodded slightly, perhaps still wary of her mentor's 'murderer'. Naruto's gaze never wandered even as he asked his next question. "May I ask what your sizes are?"**

**The girl looked puzzled.**

**"Your sizes. Body sizes." Said he, reiterating his question.**

**"What the hell are you…?" began the girl, her intonation seeming rather angry. "You perverted piece of…"**

**"Now, now, please don't jump to any conclusions. I cannot allow you to run around in just those." Said he, interrupting before she could complete her sentence. She looked at him for a while, and then motioned for him to come closer with her index finger. He moved his ear closer to the bars, where she whispered what he needed.**

**"Thank you. Do you have any color preferences?" Naruto asked, his face still expressionless, though the girl's was quite red. She shook her head and looked him in the eye. **

**"Well, then, you'll be released tomorrow morning. We leave immediately after. I have a backpack for you at home and am currently stocking up on supplies, as I am quite certain that the village will attempt to give us less than what we need…" said he, with a small smile. **

**"Going? Where are we going?" she asked, looking puzzled. **

**"You're going to be my diplomatic aide." **

**"What? To where?" asked she, still visibly confused.**

**"Ropeue in the west, past the Sand and the Earth… It's somewhere most have never heard of, and even less have seen." Said Naruto, pulling up a dirty wooden chair by the cell and sitting himself down. "I've been told that Ropeuean merchants were the first to bring those mechanical objects here. With what accounts we have of them, they seem to be a very technologically advanced culture, though their knowledge of Jutsu and chakra is…limited, to say the least."**

**The redhead merely nodded. Naruto doubted she understood very much, though hopefully she would've gotten the general gist of things. A thought suddenly jumped into his mind.**

**"It's just occurred to me that we don't know each other's names." Said he, looking at the redhead, then smiling. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, may I ask what yours is?"**

**The girl seemed befuddled.**

**"Mine is Tayuya…just…Tayuya." **

**"It is a good name." said Naruto, smiling.**

**They sat in relative silence for a while, with the occasional dripping of a leaky pipe down the tunnel. Soon, a Chuunin entered and informed Naruto of his time being up. Naruto stood, and, with a smile, wished Tayuya a good evening. He walked out of the administration building slightly happier that she was feeling less depressed. Her fiery temper was gradually returning, though something at the back of his head told him it might not bode so well for him…Traveling with someone with a temper would be fairly difficult…**

**The night passed quickly and Naruto soon found himself gazing out the window at an azure sky. He walked to the bathroom and went through his daily cleansing exercises, then moved back to the room. He slowly put his two heavy swords on, and lifted his camping bag. He had informed Tsunade of his decision to donate his large collection of books anonymously to the village library, and of his desire to donate his furniture to the administration.**

**With one last look around his room, he opened the door, grabbing another, slightly smaller bag on his way out.**

**Naruto reached the front gates just as the two ANBU escorting Tayuya approached. With a small smile, and a bow, he led Tayuya to the gate, where a small merchant caravan awaited, its driver a Chuunin. One of the ANBU took him aside.**

**"We have placed a restriction seal on the young lady. She will be immobilized if she goes further than seventy meters from you. To instantly immobilize her, simply shout the word 'shuushi' while utilizing a bird seal. To deactivate this type of immobilization, simply release the seal. To deactivate the actual seal itself, you have to utilize a 'Gyaku Gokuin' technique, though the instant immobilization is still usable." The ANBU said, demonstrating a 'bird' seal. "Please wait here. The Hokage is coming to see you off. Good luck Naruto."**

**Naruto nodded, and the ANBU waved, and disappeared. His associate disappeared as well. Naruto looked to the northern road, where Tsunade, accompanied by Kakashi, Anko, Kotetsu, Izumo, Jiraiya and a small group of assorted classmates and administrative staff approached. Naruto smiled and waved.**

**"Naruto! Your Hokage orders you to take care of yourself!" said a smiling Tsunade. "Sakura has also asked to be apprenticed under me. She couldn't come because of some sort of familial problem."**

**Naruto maintained his smile and nodded, shaking her hand. Tsunade hugged him, surprising him. With a smile, she let go, and pulled out the necklace he had returned to her. She grabbed his hand and placed the necklace into it, closing it and smacking it.**

**"You better live for this Village, and for the Third." She said, wiping away a small tear and moving aside. Jiraiya was next, smacking him on his back and smiling lecherously.**

**"Traveling along with a cute chick with a controllable immobilization seal? You lucky DOG!" said jiraiya, grinning and bleeding slightly out of his nose. Naruto laughed and elbowed him. Jiraiya laughed and reached into a pocket, pulling out two small orange books. "Icha Icha Paradise one and two, autographed collectors with extra scenes!" **

**Kakashi groaned and reached feebly, noting the gold sheen on the books. Naruto laughed again as Jiraiya moved aside to get a smack from Tsunade.**

**"Thanks, Jiraiya, Tsunade." Said Naruto, nodding to them and smiling. He pocketed the book, much to the dismay of Kakashi, who approached next. He approached and put his arm around Naruto, in an attempt to get to the books. His hand was slapped away and he laughed, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder.**

**"You've grown a bit…" said Kakashi, his smile slightly visibly under his mask. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book, its cover worn and quite tattered. "This is the Jounin technique manual. I doubt the Third gave one to you, but here it is. It's got some basic Jounin techniques and a few from the forbidden scroll itself, so read it through, huh?"**

**"Thanks a bunch!" said Naruto, shaking Kakashi's hand. Anko came forward next, and immediately gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek. He blushed lightly and laughed.**

**"Well, kiddo. You're on your own! Take care of yourself and don't do anything naughty…" said she, winking. She pulled out a small scroll with a snake-like wax seal placed upon it. "This was a technique scroll Orochimaru gave me. I never bothered to open it, though I think you might need it, whether to learn tham or to experiment…"**

**"Thank you, Anko-san!" said the blonde, keeping the scroll in his pouch. With a hug and another kiss, she looked at her watch, and with a wave, disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kotetsu and Izumo came next, both shaking Naruto's hand.**

**"You've grown, Naruto." Said Kotetsu.**

**"Yep. Little runt." Said Izumo, chuckling.**

**Kotetsu pulled out a small black book and gave it to Naruto, who opened it and saw lines of nothing.**

**"A diary. Didn't know what else to get you…" said Izumo sheepishly. With a laugh and a pat of the back, Izumo stepped aside. Kotetsu did the same, and they left with Tsunade, walking back to the administration building.**

**More of Naruto's old friends and schoolmates, and even opponents, in Neji's case, came to greet him. Naruto greeted each in turn and accepted their gifts as they came. The group soon thinned, and eventually disappeared, with some staying behind to wish him goodbye. Among them were Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata, along with her cousin. Naruto could only remember a few moments with Hinata, most of which weren't very memorable, and just the arena, with Kiba, but he appreciated their coming nonetheless.**

**Naruto stepped through the gates still waving. Jiraiya was motioning with an invisible pen, indicating that he should write back, a feeling to which Naruto heartily subscribed to. In the distance, rounding the corner, Naruto saw a head of pink hair. He looked on for a while as the figure approached, running as fast as he or she could, but smiled, and turned away.**

**The gates of Konoha closed shut with a great slam, as Naruto walked down the road towards the merchant caravan, where Tayuya awaited, along with what was perhaps a new start. He noted that an additional bag had been placed on the cart. He walked up to the cart and jumped on, calling for the merchant to go. As they started moving, he looked at his companion and passed her the second bag from his apartment. She opened it and pulled out a white long-sleeved shirt, looking at Naruto as she did.**

**"I told you, I can't have you walking around in tattered attire." Said Naruto, with a smile. "Wear it when we get to the port."**

**Tayuya looked at the shirt, and placed it back into the bag, looking slightly embarrassed when she surveyed herself. They were indeed tattered…**

**"We're to meet someone at the port. The current returning ambassador and, supposedly, the person who, technically, has the most experience with their customs and mannerisms."**

**Naruto turned and opened the mysterious bag, grinning and retrieving an apple. He tossed it to Tayuya, who took a big chunk out of it. He then took out a small bottle, filled with white capsules. He chuckled a bit and undid the stopper, pulling a capsule out. He then put it into his mouth, and looked around, to see Tayuya looking at him.**

**"What's that?" asked she, to a small chuckle. Naruto smiled and held the bottle out.**

**"Mints. You want some?"**

**Insanity's End**

**Publishing Period: ****30 June 2006**** to ****8 December 2006**

**La Fin de la Folie**

**It's been a good, long run and I've enjoyed every single moment of typing this story out. I've enjoyed your feedback and I've enjoyed your praise. This work has helped me to express myself very well, and I thank you guys for your support and consideration. I'd like to extend my apologies to anyone who found any part of this story, or, indeed, the story as a whole to be disappointing or even bad. I've done my very best to make this the vision of what I wanted it to be, and I'm proud of it, that it has given some of you pleasure in reading it, and if you have felt, in any way for the characters. I hope that this story will remain in your memories for a while, and if it does, then I have done my job. Thank you.**

**Wingchumonzero**

**Chapter titles:**

**_Imprisonment_**

**_Silence_**

**_Interest _**

**_Release _**

**_Light_**

**_Desperation_**

**_Proof_**

**_Disappear_**

**_Irrevocability_**

**_Friendship_**

**_Blindness_**

**_Destroy _**

**_Annihilation_**

**_Search_**

**_Legendary_**

**_Cataclysm_**

**_Anxiety_**

**_Silver game_**

**_Death_**

**_Insanity's End(ing)_**

**I know most don't make sense. Thanks for bearing with them.**

**Give me immortality in death. Review like you have never reviewed before! **

**Seriously. Last chapter, guys, give me your support!**

**If anyone's re-reading this and recalls my previously insensitive remarks, I do sincerely apologise for their inclusion in previous drafts. I hope you will forgive their bluntness and remember this story for what it was; mindless fun. **

**Goodbye, friends!**

**_Fin_**


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